Youth and Innocence
by J Luc Pitard
Summary: An exploration of the early days of Integra's Hellsing. Violence and Language warnings. Completed Story
1. Chapter 1

**Youth and Innocence**

Chapter 1

Standard disclaimer: All characters belong to Kohta Hirano and his publishers. I have no stake in them.

This is set in the period 10 years before the anime/manga begin. Elements from both are included here.

1.

The young girl's hand rested on the door latch for a second before she jerked it away. Time blurred together, minutes or hours before when she had first put her fingers on the cold metal, an image had flooded her mind. A monster, horrible and hungry, stood flailing his black hair in triumph as men, soldiers, probably Nazis, died all around him; their blood going to feed his savage need. No hallucinations troubled her now. No, this time she was closing the door on her own horror. The same monster stood inside the room; she could see him in her mind. He stood triumphant, white hair flailing as he devoured the last of her uncle and his lackeys' blood.

I killed the bastard, she thought as she leaned her back against the door. I should feel really bad about this, and I do, in a way. I feel sorry he betrayed me. I'm sorry to have lost several agents, though their treachery now saves me from later trouble with them. Still, she reasoned, we haven't men to spare. Her top agent was away on a mission but due back shortly. He was her father's best friend and the man she grew up calling 'Uncle' Walter. Tears welled up in her eyes for the millionth time in the last few days. "Walter, I need you," she whispered. Laughter issued from behind the heavy door. Her shoulder still bled and stung whenever it rubbed against the arcane symbols behind her. I've got to get out of this dungeon and see what needs doing before Walter returns, she took off her glasses to wipe her eyes and looked up at the duct work. There was the vent she'd crawled through to get down to her father's crazy idea of protection. A sad smile eased along her face. Father. Dead and betrayed in such a short amount of time. Slowly, Integra headed to the stairs.

Savoring the last molecules of blood he could squeeze from one of the bodies in front of him, Alucard smiled. He often did, partly because it worried others, but also because of the joy he felt. Yes, as corrupt as he was, and as old as he was, the vampire felt great joy. Felt it all the way to his core, to the blackened souls of the damned he carried within him. It was what kept him going, kept his undeath fun. Boredom, he knew, was the enemy when you lived hundreds and hundreds of years. The devil had once told him that. It was part of the reason she'd let him become what he was, a king of the forsaken. He did alleviate her boredom, for a time. It was also the reason he'd been bound by this awful curse. I became too set in my ways, he considered, too predictable. Being the master vampire in Europe was boring. His wives? Boring. The young Lucy, however, his sweet English rose, she'd held the promise of shaking things up. Alucard leaned back, lying like a corpse among the others. He didn't usually gorge, but after 20 years with nothing, indulging himself could be forgiven. Morning had broken and the child was moving about far above him. Young... no more than thirteen, this child. Still, she'd stirred him. He loved the spark of fire she'd lit in him. Her ancestor had trapped him, bound him to their blood, but even with the torture, the experiments, and their attempts to redeem him, he was able to appreciate her for what she was, an innocent.

Integral Fairbrook Wingates Hellsing, he thought, my new 'Master.' Laughter shook his long body once more. Yes, this will be fun. Her purity made his teeth ache. As always, he was torn when thinking of innocence. Most of his being longed to defile it, but a small, older voice within him wanted to enjoy it, respect it. He shook his head and rose to reach for the door.

As soon as his dry flesh touched the latches, a surge of electricity, along with mental pain and the last rebuke of Sir Arthur Hellsing, Integral's father coursed through him. "Here you will remain until you are needed, servant." Dammit! Hadn't the girl broken the seal? Surging his shadow self near to but not touching the door, he formed a dog's head and sniffed. His muzzle twisted up into a snarl. On the other side of the thick wood, he could smell her, smell her blood lingering. New blood added to the old as she closed him in. She was smarter than he'd thought. That puts a new curve into things, Alucard smiled, his annoyance gone. I've rested twenty years, he thought, a blink of an eye to me, but a generation to them. A new generation to play with? How delightful. He piled the bodies into a low throne. Rigor had just begun to creep into them, keeping the chair almost sturdy as he reclined. He tapped his forehead with a bony finger, remembering what she'd said about Walter.

Without looking around, Walter felt the eyes of the soldiers on him. They were blatantly curious as to why he was there. To the men dressed in drab fatigues, he looked like someone heading to an office, which he was. Dark slacks, matching vest and dress shirt. The only thing he lacked was a tie, and that was in the black briefcase his feet pinned against the wooden bench. Walter was also about forty years older than most of them. He reset his monocle with a black-gloved hand. Even if they'd seen the Hellsing badge he'd flashed their commanding officer, they wouldn't have understood. To them, he was a civilian. To him, they were grunts. When numbers or brute force was necessary, he had no qualms about working with the army. For the work he typically did, though, he needed only himself and maybe a few select agents. Get in, make the kill and get out; that's the Hellsing way, he smiled. This last mission was simplicity itself, mainly an intelligence-gathering gig though he was able to let off steam on a few misguided followers of a vampire cult. It was a welcome distraction from all the pain of the past few months. Ah Arthur... A tear threatened to fall, but Walter rubbed it out of his eye as if fatigued.

"Mr. Dollnez, sir? Com line." The sergeant sounded most deferential following a quick conference with the officer in the main cab. Walter nearly fell off the narrow bench as the lorry lurched about a corner. His long legs helped keep his balance, reaching across several soldiers to grasp the heavy hand-held radio.

Color drained from his face as he listened. "Yes sir, Miss." The man closest to him couldn't resist eavesdropping, but Walter doubted he could understand anything between the code used and the scratchy connection. "Understood. I should be there within the hour. Please be careful Miss." The loud crackle as the line disconnected was audible to those around him, nearly deafening his right ear. Walter shook his head, quite a temper, that one.

"Bad news, then, eh?" A friendly jab in the ribs as he passed the handset back caused Walter to wince. Cracked ribs seemed to take forever to heal at his age.

"No, not especially," he pursed his lips tightly, then took an offered cigarette, "just… unexpected."


	2. Chapter 2

**Youth and Innocence**

Chapter 2

Standard disclaimer: All characters belong to Kohta Hirano and his publishers. I have no stake in them.

2.

Integra watched him arrive on motorbike, its engine sputtering all the way up the drive. She wanted to yell out to him, or run and catch a ride like she'd done as a girl. Standing tall and straight, hands behind her back, she longed for those easier days. Her father had impressed upon her that she was born to be a leader, lives depending on her at all times. She had thought he meant the lives of agents, like Walter who now waved at her as he removed his helmet and unhooked his briefcase. After watching her father die, she'd come to the realization that he meant much more than that. She was responsible for all of England. No, she reminded herself, all the peoples of the United Kingdom relied on her to keep them safe from the demons of Hell. The Royal Order of Protestant Knights will be coming soon and I'll tell them that I am ready.

His smile changed as he bounded up the steps toward her. "Integra? Miss Hellsing? Are you all right?"

A million answers flitted through her mind, but she settled on, "Agent Dollnez, report."

He concealed his surprise as quickly as he could. "I have a full report written," he tapped his case, "but I think we'll be hearing from the rest of them again. I was only able to interrogate minions." His face was all business, but he was searching hers for clues as they walked inside the large mansion doorway. In the marble lined foyer, she looked even paler. "Miss?"

"Yes, very good. Have the report on my desk." She looked up at him and realized that her vision was clouding. Thank God I lasted until…

Walter caught her as she collapsed. He felt the bulge in her black jacket where she'd packed fabric over her bullet wound. Several of the house staff came running and helped him carry her to the closest study. It was one that the family used to greet formal guests. Back in the days of feudalism, the lord of the manor would use it to make tenant farmers and complaining creditors wait. As such, it was richly decorated and lined with signs of the family's prestige. Of course, the Hellsings had purchased it about a hundred years ago, so it wasn't their own family swords or rifles that lined the mantel, though their pictures did. The furniture had been updated and it was on one of the lush leather couches that the young girl was draped. She stirred and fought off the helping hands. Walter nodded at them to leave. "Integra, you're bleeding? You didn't mention being injured."

She shook her head for a minute and fought back tears. Damn my uncle's soul, she thought. "I said he'd tried to kill me!"

Walter's eyes narrowed, no need to point out that she'd kept it all pretty vague and he'd had to piece it together. "And the bodies?" As she grew paler still, Walter opened the wet bar near the bookshelf and pulled out two glasses and a crystal jar of brown liquid. He pressed a shot glass into her hand. "Just take it slow," he hoped it wouldn't tar his already blackened soul to give her whiskey at so young an age, "drink it all." He downed his in a heartbeat.

She coughed and grabbed at her throat as the nasty heat wound its way down her. "He, they… still there, with him… it." She took a deep breath and tried to get command of herself again. It had taken too long to calm down this morning, after trying to staunch her shoulder wound. She'd collected some data from the Teletype machine and the computer rooms, but made no decisions regarding her uncle's body or her newly found monster. Like a child, she'd kept praying that all would be well once Walter returned.

He paced in front of her. Several things still didn't make sense. "Then where is he, the vampire? Alucard?" It was already afternoon, he'd be awake after twenty years of sleep. Had he gone wandering to celebrate his new freedom?

"Alucard?" Integra felt fully in control of herself again. The whiskey was horrible, but effective. "You know him? Knew of him?" Walter's face did not change; his gray eyes were locked with hers, but unreadable. Her pitch rose as her anger did. "How is it I did not? Why did my father do that to me!" Blue eyes rimmed in red stared at the man who sat down next to her.

"There's no time now to worry about that," he soothed and patted her hair. Walter wasn't overly fond of children, but this one was special to him. He'd been present at her birth and watched her grow up into a little lady.

She wanted to yell, but he leaned forward and hugged her. At first, she tried to struggle, but Walter was quite a bit stronger than she. Integra had't been able to sleep except in very small naps while trying to escape her uncle and his men. Now that weariness combined with the relaxing effect of the alcohol.

Walter kept hold of her as her tears began. "Tut tut, child, it will be all right. I'll see to it." He felt her stiffen and was proud of her for wanting to protest. She would be a fine commander some day. This is not the day for it, though. She needed sleep. He held her tightly until she was lost to the world.

After calling her family's physician, Walter carried her upstairs to bed. He sighed as he closed the door. Nothing to do for it, he decided. With her governess standing guard over her, he would go look for his old 'friend.'

The first thing Walter noticed was how carelessly the cleaning was done in this part of the mansion. The lower dungeons had been closed off, of course, but even the upper area and the stairways seemed covered in dust. He could see the pattern of footsteps indicating men running and, in the other direction, a set of small footprints. He hoped those were Integral's and picked up his pace. Deeper into the labyrinth of hallways he went, guided by memory. We'll need better lighting here, he noted. It was hard to pinpoint, but he thought he might feel a bit of excitement at the idea of Alucard's return

"Angel of Death."

The voice sent a chill up his spine and his pace slowed as he approached the closed door. He smoothed a hand through his graying hair. Walter's lips curled into sly smile as he realized what had happened. "Lord Alucard, you're still trapped."

"She's quite a girl, isn't she?" Alucard remained in his gruesome throne, but used his extra eyes to look outside the mystical barriers on the door. He saw Walter lean against the door and pull out a pack of fags, lighting one before answering.

"She would be, wouldn't she?" He exhaled and chuckled. "Got the best of you, what?"

"Is it still safe, Walter?" The question had been burning at him, but he saw a look of confusion on the agent's face. "Did he keep it safe?"

Understanding seemed to dawn slowly. "Oh, that. Yes. Yes, I'm sure it is. Hmm, not sure where, though. I'll have a look, it may be in storage."

Alucard relaxed, closing his eyes, but keeping Walter in his mind. "You've grown old. Do you still see action?" He smiled as Walter stiffened and shrugged.

"I do pretty well, for an old man." Gentle laughter issued from the cell. Walter's ego soothed; he was only being teased. It will take a while to get used to his sense of humor again, he told himself. "From what I heard, you've grown old as well. Rotting corpse? I believe that's what she called you." More laughter issued forth, louder now as though Alucard had come closer to the entry.

"If you open the door, I'll show you a rotting corpse or three," he knew Walter couldn't, though. They'd been through this twenty years ago. He watched as Walter slid down the doorway into a crouch, his knees cracking softly in protest. They stayed like that for some time, until the sound of Walter standing and stomping out his cigarette let Alucard know that he'd be alone again. "Am I to be freed from this blasted cell?" He felt that he must ask, even if it felt like weakness.

Walter sighed. "The Knights will probably decide if she's able to take on the whole organization, at her age."

"That's not what I asked." He slouched back to the middle of the room. "Her last blood relative is dead. She is my master now."

"Quite so." He pursed his lips, considering next sentence, "I'm not sure she's ready for that." Walter began to walk away, knowing that the chill he felt was not due to the cold basement. I'd better head to the warehouse first he thought, and look for that damned coffin.


	3. Chapter 3

**Youth and Innocence**

Chapter 3

Standard disclaimer: All characters belong to Kohta Hirano and his publishers. I have no stake in them.

3.

Walter carefully lifted the documents on the desk, nodding slightly as he read the printouts. He sifted through them, arranging them across the desk in order of importance. To the left of the reports, he added his own and a fellow agent's work. Where relevant, he placed some of the printouts on the reports.

In the last week of his illness, Integra had started moving some of her own items onto her father's desk. Still, she had yet to really make it hers. Walter peered into the trashcan and saw some photos of Lord Richard, the disgruntled and now deceased younger Hellsing. She'd been busy yesterday that much was certain. How much she could've absorbed of the dispatches remained to be seen. He checked his watch again. In deference to her age and all she'd been through, he had instructed the staff to let her sleep, though he had been awake since dawn. It was approaching ten, however, and he felt it might be time to do something about it. If depression was going to start, he didn't want her to indulge in too much rest. Picking up the intercom phone, he rang down to the kitchen and told them they could see to her food.

"Nothing to see to, sir. She's been and gone," the voice was perky, clearly pleased by her appearance this morning. "Some kippers, toast and jam, sir. Ate right well for all she's been through."

"Ah, thank you." Walter held the phone under his chin as he considered where she might have gone.

The grass soaked her from socks to skirt hem, but Integra was used to that. The deep green color of the grounds had to be paid for. Damp weather was hardly a steep price for the verdant paradise around her. Coming up on the old iron gates, she slowed. There were piles of brown dirt alongside the grave where her father would be placed. Though her uncle had argued with him he'd decided to forgo a wake. "A simple service at the graveside, like we do for the agents," he'd said and she was following his wishes. She hadn't wanted to listen at the time. Integra's eyes filled as she remembered how much she'd wanted them to stop talking about death. Here it was, though. She would make certain his wishes were carried out. The black hearse would bring his body home and they would lower him to the ground.

She sat at the mausoleum where her mother's ashes had been placed several years before. Silently, she began to talk to her. "Mother? I don't know what I'll do without him." A shiver ran through her and her shoulder's shuddered. There was no answer, just as there had never been since Lady Hellsing had passed on, quietly in her sleep. Integra could hardly remember her face, but her mother's scent would still come to her from time to time. She'd taken all of the old scarves her mother favored and kept them in a drawer. Just opening the drawer sometimes calmed her nerves during her father's illness.

The wind shifted suddenly and she shivered again, making herself get up. I'll be back here soon enough, she thought sadly, and I won't be alone. The guest list was small, but there were eleven very important men coming to judge her. The Protestant Knights effectively ran England behind the scenes. When one of their numbers died, it was a huge blow to the whole group. Arthur had prepared them as best he could, but it would be a rough transition. Integra knew her uncle had his supporters among the group and they would need convincing. This was a deciding moment, but one she had been raised to handle. As she walked along, she scuffed her shoes against the stones. I can do this, she asserted to herself, I can do it because I must. The sound of clapping seemed to come to her mind. It made her smile.

Walter stood by the back patio door watching her return. It was four hours until the burial service and they still had bodies to dispose of. "Miss Hellsing!" She turned at his voice and composed herself.

"Uncle Wal-" she stopped as he held up his black-gloved hand.

"Miss Integra, your mother favored you calling me Uncle, and even your father feared her wrath enough to let you do it, but now?" She had been raised to call adults either by their title or to use aunt and uncle to describe them. Perhaps her mother missed the closeness of her own family, but it felt out of place now. His gray eyes held no resentment at the switching of their positions. He was, in fact, amused. "I would prefer you refer to me as Walter, or as an agent."

Her shoulders relaxed slightly. "Thank you… Walter." He held the door as she entered. Integra shook off her jumper and tossed it to a nearby love seat. She crossed her arms, letting one hand touch the gauze over her healing wound. "Your report?" She arched an eyebrow as he reacted to her change of topic.

"On the desk, as you requested."

"Good. I'll read it as soon as," she paused, noticing a family photo on a bookshelf. "Um, they'll be here in a few hours and there's the, you know…" her face flushed as she fumbled for words.

"As soon as you feel ready to, I'll accompany you, young miss." Walter fought back a need to protect her. He would be willing to clean up the mess as he was accustomed to doing during field work all the time. Thirteen year olds should be loitering in shopping districts or whatever it is they do, he thought, but she needs to face this.

She nodded, but stayed where she was. "I know what he is," her eyes met Walter's, "but why?"

"Are you wondering if we should kill him?" The lines around his eyes crinkled as she looked away. The barest whisper of the word 'yes' hung in the air. He'd often asked himself the same thing, at her age. "The easy answer is that he's damned hard to kill." He watched her body stiffen, as if he was implying she was weak, but he went on, "the hard answer is that he's your servant, through your great grandfather, and can be a great asset to Hellsing." Walter was prepared for many more questions, but she began to walk to the doorway.

"Let's get this over with, then."

Walter was pleased to see that his chat with the butler the day before had yielded some result. The stairway and a little bit beyond had been swept at least. From the broom and accouterments that were lying haphazard across the hallway, he imagined that the cleaners had been called away suddenly, or Alucard had found a way to frighten them from a distance. Most likely the latter, he decided. They passed locked doorways in silence; Integra's shoes providing the only soundtrack. Click clack, click clack. Walter's black leather shoes were Italian, custom made and nearly silent. They were as supple as a dancer's, but with some stability due to the amount of running that was part of his work. The supernatural seemed to hate sitting around in nice libraries to be killed. Well, there was that one job some years ago, he remembered, but the exception proved the rule.

His wardrobe was quite simple, not like in his youth. There were pictures still in existence of him in his flamboyant days. Now he stocked only what was necessary to get the job done. For the job at hand, he should have probably swung by his quarters to get coveralls. He looked down at Integra, her face cast in grim determination. Her clothes were likewise ill suited to hauling dead bodies about, dressed as she was in a simple black dress and Mary Jane-style shoes.

Integra slowed as they neared the room. She heard sounds in her head, but couldn't place them. Music? Howling? Screams? It wasn't loud, more like a background humming though it became louder as they neared the last corridor. She glanced up at Walter, but he didn't appear bothered by it. They hadn't spoken since he'd gestured her down the staircase and she was unsure how to break the silence. She took a deep breath, noticing the musty, damp scent. "Un… um, Walter," she looked up as he stopped. "What, what should I call him?"

There was laughter in his eyes as he considered his answer. 'Uncle Alucard' seemed too good to pass up, but her face was so earnest that he couldn't bring himself to say it. "I find, Miss, that you can't go wrong by being polite." He smiled at her. "You may also ask him how he would like to be addressed. He is your servant."

Her face took on a thoughtful expression and she bit her lower lip before asking,"Are we ready, then?"

Walter flexed his gloved hands and exercised his shoulders. Shouldn't need to battle him, he thought, but you never know. Twenty years is a long time to be left to molder. Which face will the monster wear? A shudder ran down Walter's back at the memories of Alucard's early attempts to seduce him. He looked down at Integra and nodded.

She reached her hand out to the metal, hesitated, and then tried it. There was no sound, not even the rhythm of breathing as they held their breath, waiting for something to happen. Nothing did. She had opened it before. Integra gave a confused glance up at Walter before jiggling the handle again, more vigorously this time. A horrible realization crawled along Walter's spine. When he could find the words, he began, softly, "Young Miss." He put a hand on her shoulder, trying to calm her. "Young Lady Hellsing," she still did not respond and her frustration was mounting, "Integra, stop it!" Either the commanding note in his voice or the dark sound rumbling from behind the doorway cut through to her. Integra, hand still on the door, looked stunned.

"He doesn't want to tell you, child," came a voice, like a wave crashing down.

Integra's eyebrows knit, a small furrow appearing on her forehead. "What?" Phrased like a question, it came out sounding more like an order. "Tell me what?"

"She will make a good leader, won't she, Angel?" Alucard chuckled at Walter's annoyance. "Still," the voice droned on, "will she have anything to back up that arrogance?"

"Walter, what does he mean?" her voice had an edge of anger.

"Well," he would try to be truthful, but he could sugar coat it, "as your father taught you-"

"No," she interrupted, "what won't you tell me?"

"Oh… yes." Walter's fingers twitched. "I will make this quick." With one fluid motion, he grabbed her hand off of the door and before she could protest, sliced a line down her pinky finger with a wire. Alucard's laughter masked her scream as Walter pinched the hurt finger and ran it along the runes nearest the latch.

Integra pulled away, her eyes venomous. "Don't you ever!"

He ignored her and opened the door. Causing pain didn't bother him, breaking her trust, though it was the most expedient way, did. The cell was a sea of darkness, the only light falling in from the hallway sucked up immediately. Walter was jostled out of the way by Integra. He put a hand out to stop her, but she pushed it away and proceeded down the stairs with an air that the Queen would've envied. Walter pulled his torch out of his pocket and shined it ahead of her. The sight before them knocked any thought of his transgression out of both their minds. Richard Hellsing and his cronies lay before them. In an apparent effort to be helpful, Alucard had stretched their bodies out, forming a cross and placing their heads, or what was left of them, between their knees. Walter noted that Alucard had split several bodies open in places, either when he killed them or later, he couldn't tell due to the blood loss. He supposed he wouldn't be writing a report on this case, but he couldn't stop his brain from inspecting the scene.

Integra whispered a prayer and put her hand up to her nose to block the stench. The wounded hand, with the smell of her blood, over all the other odors was too much. Integra turned her head and let the churning of her stomach rush out against a corner.

Walter moved the light along all the walls. "Alucard? Show yourself." By the time he caught a ripple of movement on the ceiling it was too late. The door slammed shut. He forced the contents of his stomach back down as he knelt to help Integra up. "Ah. I forgot to warn you about his sense of humor." She looked at him and he could see the myriad of emotions playing across her face. He smiled kindly as she worked through her thoughts.

"This is," Integra waved her hand to encompass the locked door, the bodies and even the corner with her partially digested breakfast. "This is normal to you?"

His smile broadened. "Indeed, Miss." He handed her the torch and went to try the door. Though it was closed, the latch had not caught and he was able to open it. "Stay here while I get the bags and cleaning things."

She stood mutely, surveying the grisly sight. Although the cell was cool, some decomposition had begun and their bellies had swollen against their belts. She supposed it was rigor that caused their hands to curl, but it was as if her uncle had his fist raised at her. She looked away. Blood stained some parts of the wall, but it was impossible to tell how long it had been there. It could've been the whole twenty years she mused. A sudden and chilling thought occurred. "Uncle Walter! Walter! Agent!" She used any name she could and stopped only when she heard him skidding through the doorway, his wires glinting off her torchlight. "Where did he go? Where has he gone, Walter?"

Integra watched his face go from fierce back to friendly. "He won't have gone far," he stepped out and then back in, this time with body bags, a mop and bucket. "Daylight and all. Let's finish this task quickly, then we'll have an hour to clean ourselves up before the memorial." He handed her a vinyl apron, some gloves and the mop. "Be a good girl and see to the floor."

Walter turned to the corpses and missed Integra battling herself over whether to whack him with the mop. She gave up and moved to the bucket. "How does this work? Can't we get someone to do this?"

Walter straightened up, his back to her. "No, Miss." The Hellsing staff had very low turnover. They required a lot of their people, but they compensated well. No one questioned why they needed to become expert at getting blood out of carpets and upholstery, and few asked why they weren't to go into the lower basement. He continued to move bodies and associated parts into the bags and smiled when he heard her try the wringer a few times. The new director was starting off quite nicely.


	4. Chapter 4

**Youth and Innocence**

Chapter 4

Standard disclaimer: All characters belong to Kohta Hirano and his publishers. I have no stake in them.

4.

"It's almost over, ducks," her governess slid chubby arms over Integra's shoulders as she murmured, "that's the last of them gone."

Standing on the steps, Integra leaned back into her comfort. The iron security gates closed after the limousine and she let out a sigh. It had turned out all right. She had been forthright and honest with each of them. Now she would have to wait and see how they handled her succession as director of Hellsing and soon to be newest knight. Formalities demanded that she be nominated and paperwork processed. The Knights of the Protestant Order preferred that she be sixteen, but messengers from the palace had assured her that she could assume all the duties immediately. New questions rose in her mind. Did she need to inform the Queen about the new vampire servant? Would she want it… him terminated, like their directive seemed to require?

She mused on those and a million other worries as she was being bustled back inside. Her staff would forgive her daze on this day. Without paying attention, she could hear Mary, her governess since birth, fretting with the others about cleaning up the food left over from tea. "Here now, let's move this to the small room and," Mary turned to Integra, "Teggy sweet, would a cup of soup do to warm you up? You can eat in the study, if you like. I know you didn't touch even a sweet."

Integra opened her mouth to rebuke Mary for calling her "Teggy," a childhood nickname she lost as soon as she went off to boarding school, when a shadow passed by the window outside the dining room and then returned. What was odder than its motion was its density. How does a shadow change opacity?

Mary looked to the window, then back at her, "Miss? Shall I have them bring it here?" Mary followed her eye again. "Would you like me to crack this?" She moved to the window, "There's a chill, but…"

Integra waved her hand. "No, no thank you, Mary. I'll eat here." She watched her governess organize the foods to stay and go. Once she and the other servants closed the door, Integra turned back to the window. There was no shadow there now. I really should go back to Father's office, she thought, and see to those cases. The cult one bothered her. They seemed to have gotten followers from within the hierarchy of the Church and Father had been working hard at sussing it out before he died. She rubbed her temples. There had been a strange sensation in her head all afternoon, but it was hard to say what it was. She supposed it was exhaustion and grief mixing.

"That was a very touching service," the voice was very close to her ear. Integra stiffened. "You should consider putting the vicar on your payroll."

She turned her head toward the slight stirring in the air on her right. "Show yourself!" Her eyes twitched as she tried to make sense out of the shadows.

Alucard hesitated, just a moment, as he wondered what form he should take. He settled on her image of him. The skeletal, white haired corpse appeared in a long black leather suit, leaning languidly on the chair, his mouth only inches from her head. Inwardly he thrilled at the pounding of her heart. "Better?"

"What do you want?" Since he didn't seem likely to move, Integra got up, anything to put distance between his leering face and hers.

"To serve you," he lied. "I am your willing slave."

"Servant, you mean." Integra watched him close his long lashed eyelids, giving her some relief from his harsh red gaze. "Walter said you were my servant," when he didn't respond or even look at her, she went on, "hard to kill and a great asset to Hellsing."

He chuckled, eyes still closed. "Indentured servant, then." He was moderately pleased to hear Walter say that. He watched her shift from foot to foot. Here is a creature I can work with, he thought and let his smile crawl wide.

As much as his gaze disturbed her, Integra was now annoyed he wasn't looking at her. "I expect you to behave." No response. She leaned against the table behind her. "Look at me when I'm talking to you!" She shivered as he complied, her heart skipping a beat at the predatory look. "Don't hurt people." She had been thinking about this, about what to say to him.

"As you wish, my Master," he bowed low to her. "You may find," he paused as if considering this for the first time, "that to be limiting, for your purposes." Alucard waited for her to take the bait.

Her brow crumpled as she considered. "I don't want you to hurt the innocent," she rephrased.

"Understood, but who defines 'innocence'? I have read the reports on your desk and I might be of use there. They've got human collaborators. You wouldn't want to tie my hands in pursuit of the vampires involved would you? May I suggest that you direct me not to hurt anyone unless I need to?" He knew she would take it before she nodded and spoke the words. He had many needs and defined them broadly while 'innocence' very narrowly.

"Yes, that will do." He was still looking at her expectantly, so she added, "Don't hurt anyone unless you need to." His face lost none of its menace, but she thought she saw a release of some tension in his tall body. His face, when not in a gruesome grin, wasn't as ugly as she'd first thought. She wondered if he'd once been handsome?

"Wonderful," he purred. He reflected on the gullibility of children. "Then there's only the question of my feedings." He drank in the look of confusion on her pretty face. The glasses did not detract from her beauty; in fact, they enhanced the brilliant blue of her eyes. Alucard decided that the contrasts within and without defined her. Dark skin, light hair, self-doubt and determination, all wrapped up in one appealing package. He would beat her weaknesses out in time but for now, he felt, they gave her charm. Like her predecessors, she thought she could hide fear from him. He gave in to some of the laughter that rose inside him.

"What, um, do you want?" Where is Walter, she really wanted to ask. Couldn't he deal with this? Integra looked about her as the vampire finally moved. He was laughing and walking slowly toward her. She had no weapons if he tried to hurt her. Still, hadn't he taken a bullet for her the night before? She tried to shift away from the table in case she needed to run.

"Walter and a few other agents are disposing of bodies," he answered, watching her jump. Even if he had no access to her thoughts through their mystical bonds, he could've read the question from her face. That face was finally showing traces of fear. Behind her mask was a thirteen-year-old orphan. "You have no reason to fear me," he lied. "I am like a puppet, you hold my strings." He reached for her hair, breathing in the scent of her shampoo. "You have only to tell me to stop." He had broken her personal space; in fact, he redefined it as his own down in the dungeon when they met. Her skin was charged, tingling where he traced a line along her neck.

Integra empathized suddenly with deer facing a runaway lorry. She wanted to scream, but no sound came out, wanted to move, but found herself paralyzed. Tears began to form in her eyes as self-hatred rose. I've got to be stronger, she thought. He's testing me and I'm failing! Laughter surrounded and invaded her mind as his physical presence disappeared around her. As Integra gave in to tears, the door to the dining room opened.

"Oh, duckie, there there." Mary set down the tray she'd brought and put her arms around Integra, but wasn't surprised to be fought off. Since her mother died, Integra didn't like being held while she cried. "It's all right, Miss, you've been a brave girl, you're due a good cry." She led her ward to a chair, letting her put her head on the table, arms hiding her face. "I'll just leave this here then and start a nice bath for when you're done." Discretion is the better part of valor, Mary thought as she closed the door, leaving Integra to her breakdown.

His prey was whistling softly along with some tune Alucard couldn't recognize. He did appreciate Walter's good pitch. In no hurry, he observed the agent going about his business alone in the small barracks room. Surely Walter could've afforded better by now? A feeling almost like nostalgia gripped Alucard as he watched. He saw not the sixty-year-old man, but the fourteen-year-old boy he had once fought beside… and with. For a vampire, time did nothing to dim such memories. Walter lovingly put away the silver rings and wires he used as primary weapons. As he reached over to pick up needle and thread, Alucard moved to push through the thin walls. A strange pain that reminded him of burning radiated along his shadow self and he was rebuffed. He howled outside the doorway.

"Ah, Lord Alucard," Walter said dryly as he opened the door, "I thought you might drop by."

Alucard took solid form. Without thinking about it, he appeared as he had for Integra, an almost wraith-like monster. "Guards? Mystical barriers? What are you playing at Walter?" He noted Walter's surprise at his choice of appearance and began to re-mold it somewhat, then chided himself for caring.

"Have you found your new room? We moved your casket into an old lab you may recognize." He found his lips twitching up into a smile as Alucard seemed to be the one caught off guard tonight. Since his barrier had apparently done the job, he magnanimously motioned for Alucard to enter. His guest hissed lowly as he passed the symbols Walter had copied onto the door jamb.

"You will renew that once I've gone, Death?" He noticed that Walter left the door cracked open, presumably to keep an escape route.

"More than likely. It's good to know it works," Walter clicked off the music and gestured for Alucard to take the only chair. Walter sat on the side of his bed and a slight look of annoyance passed his face as the vampire sat down beside him. He was quite certain now that Alucard's face was softer than the death mask he'd first seen in the hall.

"But then I will not be able to protect you in your bed, from…" he batted his long lashes, "creatures of the night."

Walter shrugged, ignoring him was the best plan, he thought, as he picked up his mending. Self-sufficiency was Walter's personal credo and he rarely troubled the house servants for a thing, preferring to launder, mend and polish his own belongings.

"Your case goes well?" Alucard tried for a friendly tone.

He's been back a little more than a day and already he's getting under my skin, Walter grumbled to himself. He put down the torn shirt, "Slowly would be more like." Truth was that the moles they'd planted might not be reliable. The whole trip to Scotland had been fishy, was regrettably ill timed and hadn't yielded much new. Walter reached for a cigarette, but Alucard stretched out his hand and the whole pack flew to him.

"These things will kill you, Walter," he smiled to soften the sting in the statement.

"Something you would like the pleasure of doing instead?" Walter laughed as Alucard inclined his head ever so slightly. As if to prove the monster right, a cough shook Walter's slender frame.

Alucard stood, tossing the pack into Walter's lap. "Your time has passed, old man. We should have had our test of strength twenty years ago."

Walter shook his head, not daring to look in the beast's face. "I did what I was ordered to." He was sure he must be beet red.

"Indeed? Whenever you'd like a fair fight-," He grinned as Walter rose up to shout in his face.

"Fair? I'd like to know what fair is to you!" He'd reached for his gloves before his brain could stop him. The vampire's face was now level to his, younger and almost feminine. So, he's going to play that old card now? Walter dismissed the trick. "When have you ever been fair to me?"

"Careful, Angel of Death," Alucard reached a hand out to cover Walter's left hand. That was the one you had to watch out for, Alucard remembered, the one he'd flick for momentum before directing the strings with the right. Already there was smoke where one of the wires looped over Walter's knuckle and touched Alucard's flesh.

Walter stepped back, noting, "Where're your gloves?" He watched Alucard mentally change tracks. "Your gloves with the sigil?" His leash was still on, that much was clear from the glowing runic symbols on the back of the vampire's hands, but he didn't like casual contact with living flesh or silver items, hence his special gloves.

Alucard held his pale hands up, inspecting them. The elongated nails began to shift back to normal length and he mentally improved the cuticles the way he liked. Really he hadn't given his appearance enough attention, lost as he was in the joy of moving again. "I'll need weapons, Walter." It took the humans heart rate a moment to catch on that the potential fight was gone. "You still have the gun?"

Walter smiled despite himself. "Please lie low around here, Alucard. Integra hasn't notified the other agents yet. I hope we'll be meeting tomorrow, but it does depend on the shape she's in." He opened his mouth to ask about the flicker in the monster's eyes, but decided against. "Your coffin's still in its crate, didn't want to nick it." Walter chose not to mention that the guys who helped him move it wouldn't have understood, had they known what was inside the box.

Alucard reached out for Walter's face, causing a quick flinch as he caressed the lined cheek. "We'll raise her fine, Walter. With a little training she could be a fine leader. She needs you... trusts you. We can do this together." He had softened his voice, the pitch just slightly higher than usual, "You don't need to keep dying. Choose to follow me. Age no more." They say that the eyes are windows to the soul. Alucard gazed into his, burning through to read his spirit.

Walter had to close his eyes, sever the connection. Not sure if he was still capable of standing without Alucard's cold hand, he whispered, "Death holds no fear for me, old friend. I'll serve Hellsing not you." He swayed slightly, opening his eyes to see nothing but the plain little room around him. He's back, Walter thought as he sat, always testing, pushing the limits. Stifling a thrill that caused his shoulders to shudder, Walter reached for the book he'd used to guard the room, and found it gone.


	5. Chapter 5

**Youth and Innocence**

Chapter 5

Standard disclaimer: All characters belong to Kohta Hirano and his publishers. I have no stake in them.

5.

"Miss Hellsing?" Walter tapped at her door again.

"Go away."

Her governess stood beside Walter and he would've loved to wipe that smug look off of her face. Thoughts of wires and Mary's eyes bulging due to asphyxiation filled his head. Her look said 'I told you so' as she had, several times this morning. She advocated giving Integra the week to mourn before starting up her duties and he'd pointed out that the organization didn't work that way. He'd given her the whole of yesterday to lounge about. Lives were on the line. "My lady, this is unacceptable."

"Who do you think you work for?" Integra threw a pillow at the door as she asked the rhetorical question. "If you value that job, leave me alone!" She hadn't done well on the debate team but she'd learned enough through the years, listening to and arguing with her father and uncle.

Without raising his voice, "Do not threaten me, young lady. I work for the Hellsing Organization and the Royal Order of Protestant Knights who work at the behest of the Queen. You would do well to remember that you work for her as well." Walter watched Mary turn an ugly shade of pink, presumably in shock that he'd speak to her charge thus. "You have your father's secretary waiting in your office and I have charged your servants with moving your belongings to your father's room. If you would be so kind as to vacate?"

"On whose order? Remember, I give the orders now Walter and I am ordering you to leave." She stood now, almost wobbling, and stared at the closed door. Yesterday she had only risen long enough to pee and then back to bed with her head under the covers, wallowing in self-pity. "No one gives me orders, Agent Dollnez. Remember that."

He sighed. This was to be expected with teenagers, but still. "On your Father's orders. Now get up and get working." Silence from within the room told him that he'd struck the nerve he was seeking.

"Now Integra, dear. I'm sure he means for the best," Mary tried the door handle again. They both had keys, but she and Walter were trying to let Integra keep some dignity. She'd opposed the idea from the start, really, but once this course of action was decided, Mary felt she had to back the old man up. "Do get up, love. At least to eat something." They were the only parents the poor girl had left. "The chef's done you up a scrummy little fry up."

Walter reached for the pack of fags he carried, before remembering that he was trying to quit. If he had to listen to Mary much longer he would quit quitting. Damn that bloody vampire.

There was no sound for a time except for the murmurings of the governess. Then the door opened and Integra, looking both disheveled and humbled asked, "Would you mind asking Mr. Bennett to wait just a few more minutes for me?"

Walter half bowed and kept his smile hidden. "Of course, Miss."

When she walked into the director's office, she somehow expected to see her father sitting there. He would either be busy and stern, or relaxed and indulgent. She couldn't ever predict which. Instead of his reassuring blue eyes, Integra was greeted by stacks of paper which had grown considerably. Three days of news, dispatches and reports were piled up high. Where would she find the time to sort through all of this? Her despair turned to mild disgust as the doorway to the anteroom opened and Gerald Bennett walked in. He'd always given her the creeps, following her da' all the time with his folders and clipboards always at the ready. Now he looked to her expectantly.

"Dear Miss Integral," his sibilance created little whistles when he hit the letter 's,' just one more thing to get on her nerves. "You have my deepest sympathies."

"Thank you, Mr. Bennett."

"Please, Miss, call me Gerald." His bushy eyebrows were raised, as though waiting for more from her. When she couldn't think of anything, he went on, "Uh, the first thing I'd like to speak of is the issue of the thank you notes. You have received hundreds of cards and approximately ninety plants and flower arrangements and... nearly forty fruit baskets. We have them listed for you, here, broken down by personal and business relations." He was rifling through the papers on one clipboard, before switching to a manila folder. "Simple Hellsing cards would be best, of course." The small man turned to nod at Walter as he joined them. Walter was not the world's tallest man, but compared to Mr. Bennett, he was a giant. "And there's your signature needed on these for the fallen agents, Miss. I have some documents for your records. The police inquiry is closed with a finding of self defense in the death of Richard Hellsing. The sheriff wishes you God speed. However, I'd like to see to a small headstone for your uncle." His beady eyes watched her.

"Yes, of course," she glanced at the trashcan which was mercifully empty of family photos, "for appearances." She sat down, almost lost behind the wall of Hellsing paperwork. Bennett had to come around the desk and hand her several folders. Like most of the Hellsing staff, he favored gloves, but his were customized as he had a few fingers missing. Integra suppressed a shudder, as she always did when he was close.

"Well, I was thinking more to keep his spirit quiet-like, no need for an angry ghost around if you can help it. And here's the report on the current level of agent staffing. I've included photos as you requested, ma'am." He opened the folder to show her. "The payroll is automatic, but your signature will be required on these expenditures," more papers, more folders piled up in front of her.

Integra caught Walter's eye as he leaned against the wall opposite her desk. He was trying not to laugh, but she saw his shoulders shake just a touch as one pile of Teletypes began to unroll, jarred loose by a report on this month's budget. "Thank you, Gerald," she rushed out in one of his few silent moments, "I'll see how much of this I can get through." She paused to consider the major issue weighing on her mind, considering how close he was to her father. "Are you aware of the… any new… um, an agent?"

Walter coughed, drawing her secretary's attention, "I believe she's referring to the vampire, Gerald." He watched understanding dawn on the odd fellow's face.

"Ooooooh. Oh bugger." Bennett looked between Integra and Walter for a time, finally sitting down in one of the chairs across from the desk, visibly shaken. Integra had to stand to see him. "Well then. Ah. It's been ahhh…" He put a hand to his head, as if to soothe a headache. After nearly a minute, he straightened up his back, "Let's see, we'll need to place the dogs, hmm, horses to be safe," he began flipping more papers and taking notes. "Yes, I'll get that started, then."

"The dogs?"

The secretary looked to Walter, willing him to answer her. "There's a connection, Miss Integra, even without the control art restrictions being lifted, he has a link with canines and other animals..." it was clear he'd lost her. "We'll speak about it later."

Bennett's eyebrows remained low, casting a shadow over his eyes. When he raised them, he looked straight at Integra. "Are you sure, Miss? No disrespect, but… He's not a pet, Miss. He's, you know. I don't need to tell you, do I? Safer with him gone, ma'am." At her silence he added, "Have you warned the staff as well?" More note taking followed.

"I think this would be best kept as a secret, Gerald. Don't you?"

Both Walter and Bennett looked at her, momentarily startled, before Walter nodded. "He's managed that before, but it depends on how much control you can keep, Integra."

A dark look passed over the secretary's face, but he kept his own counsel. To change the topic as quickly as she could, Integra moved on, "I need you to coordinate with my governess and schedule tutors starting next week. I'll need to push straight through my studies as rapidly as I can. I had my things sent on from school when I came back, but do see to canceling my tuition for next semester." This would be hard, but it was the only way she could see to do it. Hellsing would be her life now.

Bennett rose, gripping the side of his chair. "Right away, ma'am." As Walter opened the door for him, he hissed, "I don't think I can take it, Walter. She doesn't even know about the restrictions!" The two men stopped just outside the door and he went on, still in a whisper, "he'll come for me, I know it. It's all right for you; you're happy you are. Don't bother denying." The little man allowed no protest and Walter knew it would be in vain. Bennett was a former agent with a limited amount of heightened senses, what some would call ESP. Formerly used for interrogations, he moved to his current position following a serious breakdown. "You all see him as a man; he can appear as such, but to me…" The man stood, holding his head in his hands and Walter resisted the urge to put a hand on his shoulder. "The screaming, it's only bearable when he sleeps!"

"Where would you go?" That was the question the agents often asked each other after a rough mission. No active agent ever had though, except in a body bag.

Gerald must've been thinking about this for a while, possibly since Arthur became sick, because he had a ready answer. "The 'family' still travels the tinker routes. Go back to palmistry maybe."

Walter read the twitching in the small man's eyes and gripped him gently by the shoulder. Still speaking low and calmly, he guided the man out of the waiting room and into the hallway, "We've known each other a long time, haven't we?" The scared look coming across the secretary's face was testament to his empathetic skills. "And in that time, we have both been quite close to the Hellsing family, haven't we? They saved us both, really. So why, may I ask, did you not tell me about Richard's treachery?" Both men knew that to deny it would be futile. Walter's hand was still on Bennett's shoulder, giving the little man a glimpse into the executioner's blank conscience. The blood fled from Bennett's usually ruddy face.

"Between you and that creature, I don't know who's worse," his throat was tight, raising his pitch unnaturally. Papers shifted in his arms. He wanted to get out of the mansion at all costs, but didn't dare try to run.

Walter cracked a smile and released his grip. "Good. That's what I've always liked about you, Gerald; I can drop the pretense." He watched the man nod slowly and twist his head to look up at him. "I need to know who his allies were. All of them, here and on the council." Walter's left hand moved to his pocket, threading one strand of wire between his fingers. "Shall we go to your office?"


	6. Chapter 6

**Youth and Innocence**

Chapter 6

Standard disclaimer: All characters belong to Kohta Hirano and his publishers. I have no stake in them.

6.

"Sir Hellsing," the voice resonated in the room well ahead of the frightening visage. "You've been reading that page for some time."

"You're not supposed to hurt me," Integra challenged.

"Have I?" Alucard strove for sincerity in his voice.

Quickly Integra hurried on to the next folder. I don't care how childish it is, she thought, I'm not talking to him. From the edge of her vision, she saw the grin on his face curl up a touch, either he was confused or about to sneer. Tilting his head to one side, the vampire considered her.

Integra was acutely aware of his presence, his stillness. Watching and waiting, like a wolf surveying the herd for weakness. After a time though, her focus improved and the reading went faster. She was startled, therefore, when in mid stretch she saw him. He seemed not to have moved at all, though his eyelids were half down. The red orbs still disconcerted her. "Here now, are you of any use at all?"

"Your orders, my young Master?" He puffed a bit of unneeded air out, somewhere between a growl and a hiss. "What do you command?"

She sat back down and pondered for a second, wary of what she was thinking. Integra tried to plot out how he would see her request. "Come here and tell me what you think of these." She noted his eyes widen slightly, then contract and the crimson irises seemed to rotate. He moved with languid grace to the desk. Integra almost got up to get away from him, but she wanted to show him no fear.

"I read some of those," he scoffed, "while you lay sulking."

"Well harrah for you. You can read English," she tried to irritate him with her sarcasm, "Did you cause any of these?" He didn't answer right away, making Integra nervous. Alucard looked over some of the newer reports and shook his head. She adopted a scowl to hide her fear, "read the rest and tell me what you think." She was tempted to give him the whole damned pile of papers, but she pulled off the ones that had been concerning her most. There was a pattern there, she was sure of it, but she couldn't figure out what it all meant. This test of her servant's worth would at least be amusing, at most, well she could hardly hope he'd solve it for her, could she? The vampire stood near, but not touching the desk. Arms folded up across his chest, he seemed to consider a report, then flick a white-gloved finger and a new report took its place. She looked to his face, but his expression didn't change.

"What do you think?" She waited until he was almost through the stack. "There'll be another attack soon? Can you tell where?"

Alucard shrugged his shoulders. "It looks like a standard extortion ring, with ghoul attacks added on." He looked down at her, not sure if she understood or not.

"Ghouls are made by vampires, and Father believed this lot had allies within the church, though the attacks target individual churches," she put her pencil to her lips as she thought out loud.

"Perhaps if you follow the money?" He offered. He had seen enough details in the sources to pick out three possible nests, but he needed her to find them, to learn how to find them. Killing off the lower tier vampires was fine, he itched for the action, but what filled him with hope was that there would be a worthy foe at the top. He had given her a direction, and she seemed smart enough to follow it.

Integra took several documents and cleared a space to lay them out. He rearranged them and included one she had overlooked. They were now sharing the space behind the desk, Integra was oblivious in pursuit of the case. Alucard was not. "But we've been there," she looked up at the creature. Oh dear, she thought as she saw his face up close. Yes, he had once been handsome. "Our agent found nothing, not even a trace."

"Indeed, your agents often find nothing. This is not one single vampire causing trouble, this is an organization. Very different," and promising, he thought. "Yet they are breeding their trash unchecked?" He shook his head, "you should sen--" A knock interrupted his word.

"Miss? Your tea?" The family butler's deep voice rumbled as he opened the door to the hallway.

"No! Wait!" Integra turned to Alucard whispering, "you've got to hide."

He laughed until he found in her mind how seriously she felt the order. He allowed himself to dissipate and merge with the ceiling, but he certainly wouldn't leave. He watched the middle aged butler enter, look around and carry the tray to her desk. She pointed at a small side table when he couldn't find a good spot for the food. "That's fine, Mr. Patel. Thank you," Integra was grateful to her staff, but she was anxious that he leave, and quickly. She tried to communicate that by sitting down and turning back to her work, but he cleared his throat.

"Ahem, young Miss, I know I've expressed this before, but I would like to again extend my condolences to you on your great loss," there was more he was going to say, but she cut him off.

"Yes, I am most appreciative, but I do have a lot of work to continue with. Have you seen Mr. Dollnez?"

"No, ma'am, if I hadn't seen him leave two hours ago, I'd have sworn he was in here." The genteel manner of the butler masked his curiosity.

"He left?"

"Yes ma'am. Mr. Dollnez was accompanying Mr. Bennett on an errand." The butler looked around again. He began to move to the door, but there was clearly something on his mind. He hesitated with his hand on the doorknob. "I don't mean to pry, Miss, but was someone here with you?"

"No!" Integra stood, also looking around quickly. "There is no one here, as you can see." She heard soft laughter as her hand swept an arc and she began to panic, but the old man didn't seem to hear it.

"Very well then," apparently uncomfortable, he stood in the doorway.

"Mr. Patel, would you be so kind as to let Agent Dollnez know that I would like to see him tonight when he returns?" Integra thought the butler looked just a bit happier with a job to do. He nodded and exited, allowing her to exhale. She spoke to the empty room, "I know you're still here. You can come out."

Alucard allowed his upper body to materialize from the ceiling, long silvery hair falling gently to the floor. "Am I to be your secret little pet?" His voice managed to indicate both disapproval and amusement, exactly as he felt.

"Yes, well no, but just not yet, I don't want to scare anyone. You look, well no offense, but you look scary." Integra watched him flip himself into the room, his hair like a living thing, reforming behind him.

"Walter's been disposing of a body, my Master." He smiled a cruel grin that caused Integra to review her earlier thought about him. There was nothing handsome in that horrid face, nothing like she'd imagined a vampire would look. Alucard pulled through her mind to find a more pleasing visage and filed it away.

"Oh, I thought he took care of that," she tried to ignore his leer. "Now, what were you saying before?"

"You should send me to the last location. I'll get results for you." Alucard's lips curled up at her laughter.

"I'm sorry, " she waved her hand in front of her mouth, "it's just that it's such an obvious trick."

"I'm glad I could amuse you," he said sourly. "There is no need for me to trick you into letting me out. I assure you, I can move about with some freedom."

"Oh, I thought, with the..." she gestured on the back of her hands. Walter came through the anteroom doorway just in time, saving her from having to show her ignorance.

"My lady," he said and nodded his head to Alucard. "I bear both good and bad news." He placed a folder on Integral's desk.

"What is this?" She picked up the papers.

"That is the good news, ma'am. I have a list of people who were involved with your uncle's attempt on your life." He tapped the table with one finger, "and estimations of their level of involvement."

"Oh," Integra looked at the length of the report. "This looks bad. If this is the good news, where is the bad?"

"Unfortunately, your secretary has decided to terminate his contract," he avoided Alucard's eyes. Had he looked, he would've seen something akin to pride there.

"Oh? But that's good news. I never liked Mr. Bennett, but don't people usually give two week's notice?" She looked over the desk as Alucard flopped into a chair, holding his sides with laughter. "I was hoping he'd..." her voice trailed as she looked at the vampire.

"Dear Angel, you are the best!" He ran his long tongue along sharp teeth, "I only wish you'd invited me!"

"What's he on about, Uncle Walter?" She caught the pained look on Walter's face. It was only there for an instant before he looked his old self again.

"Nothing child. Isn't it time you started on your dinner?" He put his hand on her shoulder, pointing her toward the full tray.

"I would've loved to liquefy that mind. How did you do it?" He delighted in the man's discomfort. The girl poured herself a cup, trying to ignore the beast.

Under his breath, Walter said, "quickly."

Laughter and the sound of a cup breaking rang through the room as Alucard left, amused at the look of understanding that Integra was focusing on Walter. "Did you just..."

Walter was one of the few people ever to effectively fool both the Interpol and MI-5 polygraph teams. Hellsing loaned him out to each organization for assistance training their interrogations teams once upon a time. He was never able to fool Alucard, but no human could. Still, he had a half second to decide his response to Integra. "Yes." The truth was what she deserved if she was to be his boss for however many years he had left of service. "Gerald held too many of your family's secrets to be allowed to leave and he felt he couldn't stay, not with Alucard here." He saw her white face and for once questioned when the time would come for him to fall on his own sword. There was no dishonor in how Bennett left, no begging or pleading. It was a good death.

"That's murder," she stepped back, her voice leaving no mistake about how she felt. "In my name?"

"Yes, you must understand, that's what I am, what I have been trained to do and what I have done for this family and this organization for over forty years." He was secure in what he was, what he had become: judge, jury and executioner for all enemies of Hellsing. Walter no longer shied from targets just because they had pulses. This child would rein him in? The young leader was standing, a new look in her eyes. He tried to identify it and settled on wariness.

"You will never murder another human," she paused to consider Alucard's words from the other night. She didn't want to tie her own hands, "without my knowledge and consent."

"Agreed," Walter withheld the sigh of relief he felt. It wouldn't do to let her see how deeply he cared.

"How is this handled? The police?"

Walter shook his head. "When one becomes an agent, one ceases to exist. His death is an inside concern only. His apartment is owned by your family and he left a note for the rest of the agents."

In a way, thought Integra, I am master to two monsters. She shivered and turned to the work at hand. "Walter, I was looking over some papers with Alucard and he suggested going back to one of the sites again. Can you discuss this with him and go along? I'd like a report on his behavior in the field."

His smile gave away his thoughts. "My pleasure, Miss."


	7. Chapter 7

Youth and Innocence

Chapter 7

Standard disclaimer: All characters belong to Kohta Hirano and his publishers. I have no stake in them.

7.

As his head slid through the neck of the black turtleneck, Walter was less than surprised to find two red eyes only inches from his own. "Come to watch me dress have you?" He laughed to see the rest of the vampire ease into solid form. "Well, that's certainly low key!" Somehow, Walter reflected, the face is always identifiable. It's always Alucard, though the wrapping may change considerably. As Walter bent down to lace his shoes on, the vampire began spinning, apparently to watch the ostentatious red duster flare out behind him. He would've worried about the furniture in his small room, but Alucard, like a ghost, passed through all obstacles.

Humming softly to the Roma music in his head, Alucard danced out his joy, delighting in his new appearance. The dance was courtesy of the many nights he spent by the fires of the Szgany. Undeterred by his dance partner's rejection, he shook his raven hair and returned to another age. It took the sight of his beloved Cassull to pull him from the bonfire dance. "Walter," he said simply, never taking his eye off of the obscenely large caliber gun.

It always made Walter happy to see his gun smithing appreciated and no one appreciated his work like Alucard. "Would you mind coming down from my dresser?" The former No-Life King dropped soundlessly, as if his whole world was in Walter's hands.

"Ammo?" Alucard took the weapon, immediately aiming it at Walter's forehead. He was pleased at the lack of outward reaction from his old ward.

"The old silver magazines are all we have for now." Ignoring the large caliber handgun, he opened a case, tossing four full clips to the vampire, never really sure where they went once Alucard caught them. "We'll need new ones made now that it's back in use."

"Are they still potent?" Alucard stared down the barrel, as if the answer was one that could be seen. He recalled that each was made from melted down Eucharistic serving pieces, just a bit of the blessed silver in each. Could they actually lose holiness?

"You might try touching one, I suppose--" The sound of the gunshot in the small space made Walter jump out of his skin, especially since it had most recently been aimed at him. "Bloody Hell Alucard!" He pulled himself off the wall he'd been pressed into by the concussive effect. The 'bloody' vampire in question stood with a gaping hole where his stomach should have been and a smile on his face. "Jesus!" Alucard was behaving even stranger than he remembered.

"Lovely! Just lovely, Walter!" Delicious feelings swirled inside him as the holy silver fought his regenerative powers. He ignored the sound of humans running along the hallway. He had his gun back. Walter had taken care of it for him. He was complete again, first his coffin, then the gun. The old man could manage the damage control with his fellow agents. Alucard had the more important task of relishing his new life.

"No, no, just an accident." Walter kept the door as closed as possible while reassuring the other men.

Another voice, "Take it to the range next time, Dollnez."

Someone else, "Holy Shite, you could've killed one of us."

"Oh dear," Walter's smooth voice came back into the room, "trigger's just a bit too jumpy, yes I'll put it away until I can get to the shop."

"You headin' out again, Walter?"

"Well, I'm following a hunch that Lady Hellsing had about the Scottish site. Just finishing my packing, then heading out. Flying this time, luckily. Good night."

Men's voices continued to grumble in the hallway, but Walter shut the door and turned back to the grinning Alucard.

"I won't ask if you're happy now, clearly you are." Walter's face was flushed with anger. "I also don't need to ask if you've eaten recently, clearly you have!"

Alucard threw him a wicked grin. "You held out on me with Bennett."

"Now listen up, Midian!" Walter was as angry as he'd been in years, "He was a good man and he died well, I will hear no more about it." The hole in Alucard's clothing was now fully healed, testimony to his powers. Walter pointed at the recent wound, pleased at the look of confusion that replaced Alucard's smugness. "A certain manic depressive woman with a history of suicidal attempts finally succeeded last night in Sheffield, train decapitation. Strange bit of news in the police report was that she didn't leave much blood at the scene..." A half smile played on the creature's lips, "oh, and there was evidence that she'd had a lover that night as well. No DNA evidence and no violence, but apparently she died a bit happier than she lived." He tried to keep his feeling of justified anger, but Alucard's grin was getting broader. "Your M.O., wouldn't you say?"

"You pulled the report?" He tilted his head, his manic smile in place, "why?"

"I won't do it again! You strung me up and left me to answer her questions. Next time you'll have to account as well!"

Walter's raised voice drew a knock on the door. "Dollnez? What are you on about?" The rapping at the door jolted Walter out of his anger.

Smoothing his hair and regaining the calm that was what most people ever knew of him, Walter went to the door. "Nothing, Leung. Just yelling at the tele. I'm heading out now, though. Sorry to be such a bother tonight." Before turning around, he knew Alucard was gone. Good, he sighed, he can damn well find his own way there.

Alucard found Integra in the hallway. He fell into step behind her, deciding not to appear until she sensed him. Integra stopped, turning her head back and forth, "Hullo?"

Unable to resist the temptation, Alucard formed his body along the back of hers, making her stumble to separate herself. "Orders, my Master?" He had to suppress a smile as she looked up at his low bow. Her body's reaction was all he needed anyway.

"Oh," she forgot for a second that she didn't want him to be seen. "You're heading out, right? Um, with Walter?" Integra flinched from his look.

"Your orders, Master?" He stressed the second word, but she clearly didn't understand the arrangement. It's all right, he reminded himself, he had plenty of time.

Integra tried to interpret; this meant something to him. He stood in front of her, gloved hands behind his back in an almost regal pose. Suddenly it struck her that they were in the hallway near the back entrance where anyone could catch sight of them. Of course, the mansion was lightly staffed at night, but still she looked around for a room to move into.

"There are no humans near us, Master," Alucard noted, trying to keep her on topic. "You've asked me to find targets and kill them, would you say those are my orders?"

"Do what you like," from the moment the words left her lips, she knew they were wrong. The look in his weird eyes spoke of burning buildings and the Thames running red with blood. "No! No, that's not the order," she waved her arms, feeling like a right idiot, "more like you said."

He let a sigh shake his frame, though he had plenty of time before Walter would touch Scottish soil. "Master, your commands are the keys to my power. Your ancestors saw fit to lock it away from me using the control arts. I am granted limited access in order to complete the orders you give me. Do you understand now?" He spoke slowly, as if explaining to a child why the sky is blue.

Far from being annoyed by his manner, Integra was relieved. Finally, she felt, something was being explained. "By all means then, what command will let you finish the task at hand?" A chorus of howls began outside, near the stables.

"Search and destroy," he smiled as she repeated his words. She was gullible enough to work with and his new persona helped lower her guard. He could easily complete the mission without tapping his reserve powers, but now he was assured fun. "Releasing control art restriction level three," he was not so lost in his joy that he couldn't see Integra's face as she felt his voice reverberate in her head, "continuing until target is silenced." All pretense at secrecy was gone as his howling darkness filled the night sky.

Alucard immediately took points off them for lack of style. The industrial park lacked soul, showed no imagination. He allowed himself a chuckle at his own expense, perhaps expecting some grand castle. He stayed far enough away to avoid raising hackles. Even from a distance, the stench of decay was noticeable. Humans must miss it in the foul factory air that hangs over this section of town; he shook his head. There must be fifty or more ghouls, brought here, he imagined, otherwise agents would have found them due to sheer population loss.

As there was little external activity, Alucard allowed several of his eyes to turn inward, examining memories to trace the changes in Walter since he'd taken on the tasks that would otherwise have been given to the 'Hellsing pet.' The vampire was quite pleased with the results.

A lorry rumbled nearby and Alucard trained his senses on it. Packages within indicated human blood. Smart, he nodded, feeding your fledglings enough to keep them under control. They obviously wanted to stay hidden. The only question now was whether the large supply of blood meant they were stocking up or did they had a horde to feed? Please be the latter, he prayed. Instead of barging in to satisfy his curiosity, Alucard stretched his mind to find Walter. After a few moments he sensed the slow approach of a military vehicle.

The driver, under strict orders to cooperate fully with the old man, got out to open the door, but Walter was already out and running. "Sir? Is this where you... sir?" He saw a flash of red, but reminded himself that he wasn't paid to think, just to get back in the car and wait.

Walter kept sight of Alucard until they arrived at the address, then lost him in a sea of ghouls. He hoped the vampire would conserve bullets by letting Walter take point through the advancing tide, but his orders were moot before the battle began. The ghouls were a typical advance strategy among their foe, with lesser vampires following and only then would the main enemy show himself. This whole case had gone against type though, leaving Hellsing one step behind. At least tonight they hadn't packed up and fled before he arrived. Walter's calm, logical thoughts soon gave way to his instincts and the pure joy of killing.

Strings sang out as they whipped through zombie bodies, separating heads, torsos and arms. Male and female labels no longer applied to this type of undead. The turning of a vampire victim into a ghoul leaves a generic, hulking chunk of clothes-wearing flesh, nasty to smell and none too bright. He said a silent prayer for those whose defiled bodies he put down. Walter used his teeth to pull the cables back through more bodies. They were coming fast, Alucard must've rushed through, leaving him to fight more than he'd like to. No doubt the vampire was in a hurry to find more of his kind, ghouls not being much of a challenge to him. Walter smiled, it felt just like old times. He pulled back once more, aware that they were trying to circle him, but confident that he could tear them apart before any harm was done. Rudimentary tactics were within the brain capacity of these otherwise mindless drones, but he didn't rule out a vampire watching and directing the action. If Alucard would resist playing with the puppet master, this could be over with quickly. He heard the blasts from his handiwork as Alucard made his way through the hallways. Walter leaned back on his heels, purposefully losing balance as his arms circled, carving swathes of destruction and body parts around him. This was his dance.

The scene before Alucard took a few moments to comprehend, upended pine boxes, fleeing vampires and the smell of ashes. They were killing their own? How dare they! That was his fun. "Releasing control art restriction, level two," he felt the shock again from Integra's mind and allowed himself a second to touch hers as she paced in her father's room, worrying for Walter and now her sanity. Arthur had truly taught her nothing. The pleasure that thought brought did nothing to assuage his anger at the cockroaches that scurried in front of him. Forming his ire into a burst of darkness, he blew apart the nearest intact vampire. Where the room had been filled with screams of confusion, anger and pain before, it now became eerily quiet. For every eye that now focused on him, Alucard presented one to stare right back at it.

In the silence one idiot came forward, forgetting that moments before he'd been fleeing his own mates, he now rushed at Alucard's form. The No Life King allowed himself a large grin at the upstart's courage. This one had had no time to develop any power besides hunger, so it was nothing to let him get close, let him draw blood, and it had the intended effect. A rush of fifteen young vampires made their way across the room. After crushing the head of the little brave one, he sent the body flying, dispersing dust in the faces of the coming ones. Pathetic, he thought, I might as well be playing with ghouls. He held his Casull loosely, his other hand signaling for them to hurry. "Don't forget, to say your prayers." Several stopped and looked toward one doorway, near the back of the warehouse. Good, that's where they look for direction. Alucard felt a slight spark of hope. Casting his energies over their heads, he surged to the back room.

A stray thought wandered into Walter's consciousness, between the spaces he was using to calculate distance and wire length. I could use some help here. As he leaped atop a medical waste container to get over one pile of ghoul corpses and create another, his muscles longed to be back in his own little bed. This would be a mission to bring the army along on. Walter kept his back to the wall as he moved toward the next moaning mass of undead. If Hellsing had its own army, they wouldn't just be fodder for creatures that weren't supposed to exist... he'd think about this a bit more before suggesting it, there'd be dissent among his fellow agents. A two by four took his mind in another direction, mainly down with the rest of his body. Gritting his teeth, Walter tasted the blood that filled his mouth. He spat a glob out and prayed his nose wasn't broken, then pulled his knees up under himself and launched at his attacker, a silver line between his thumbs. Without its head the corpse collapsed, a slab of wood falling harmlessly at its feet, but Walter was already gone, making his way toward what he hoped was the last of the ghouls. He swore at himself for getting distracted.

Red mists swirled around the hapless vampire as he laughed, his goal still out of reach. The door in front of him had changed size, location and distance in the past few minutes. There were many things he couldn't understand about what went wrong, but they were all unimportant now. Even the emergency call to clear out the fledglings was unimportant. Escape was the only thing he could concentrate on. His laughter was shrill to his ears, fear overwhelming his body. "Unworthy," the word came to his mind and found purchase there. He'd been unworthy of the holy obligation he'd been given. It was over now. "Unworthy," the word rang out again, this time from the creature that the blessed door had become. A looming, red beast judging him like the Bible foretold. He had escaped that judgment when he was initiated, but now it stalked him as he ran. The elders anger was nothing to this nightmare he was living.

"Forgive me, please," he pleaded as he fell to his knees. The creature kept its counsel, smiling and drooling at him. "I've tried, only just be understanding, it's not my fault." If they'd given him any notice, he'd have cleared them all out to the safe vaults, not even ghouls to give them away. If only...

"No challenge!" The beast turned its back to him, finding him too pathetic to play with.

"No, wait," he wasn't sure why, but it felt important to be found worthy in some way. When the Hell beast turned back to him, it was only a vampire that looked at him. Why had he been so scared? "I..."

"Yes? Speak quickly, fool." Disappointment rang through the words.

Looking at the red clad demon opposite him, the cultist began to feel a surge of courage. The devil comes in many shapes, to deceive and tempt us, surely this was just a test, appearing as a vampire? "You, you've come for my soul?"

Alucard sneered his contempt, "your soul? Why would I want that piece of trash?"

"What, what do you... " the vampire shrank into himself. "Who are you?"

"I smelled your foul blood on those creatures out there. Why? Why are you creating so many worthless-," he couldn't bring himself to call them vampires, but the weakling interrupted, happy to have anything to please Alucard with.

"I, I, well, they had us, we... I'm not supposed to be telling anyone this," he hid his eyes, finding a touch of courage if he didn't look directly at the devil. "I'm supposed to die before talking, but the plan is to-."

Alucard considered and rejected the idea of mind raping or consuming the young vampire. From what the cowering idiot had already revealed, there were others pulling the strings and he'd have more fun teasing them out than having them handed to Hellsing. His direct order was search and destroy. "Then DIE!" The Cassull blasted several holes in the flailing body before dust flew. "Target silenced." He knew she heard, but would not understand. It was tempting to leave, but he felt Walter out in the large room, his timing beginning to fail as the aging body tired.

Don't panic, she told herself. Integra walked down the stairs, one hand smoothing down stray hairs. I am not going insane. It must be some trick of that vampire. Her eyes barely saw the house around her as she walked along the hallway. How can his voice come, unbidden to my mind? She wanted answers, not more infernal questions! Her father kept certain weird books in his office, locked away. She changed direction, happy to have a goal.

"Evening Miss," the accented voice startled Integra as she entered what was now her office. One of the agents moved around her desk, shifting papers into folders and marking them with notes. "You're up late, no?"

He was old, like all of the people around her, she realized. "Agent Pettrus, what are you doing here?"

"Well, we keep odd hours. That's to be expected." Noting the confusion on her face, he added, "Oh, I thought you knew. I'm to be your new secretary, Miss."

"Oh," her face flushed with a rush of guilt over Mr. Bennett's death.

"It was in the note, he asked me to take over, after he, well Walter and he..." Pettrus looked away, toward the portrait of her grandfather that hung on the wall. He gestured as he spoke, "It was the custom, when I came on, that we should all be trained for house and Hellsing work. Make it look a little strange all these young men around with no job, see?" He smiled as she nodded, clearly thinking of other things. "Me, I do office and switchboard. Been a while, but I can take over. When I'm not in the field, no doubt." There was a question at the end of that statement. All the agents wanted to know how she was going to be handing out assignments. He remembered the transition when her father officially took over and Walter was given the best jobs.

"Yes, I see," she thought on what he'd said. Young men indeed! If they'd been young once, it wasn't clear now. She'd seen that plainly in the files. Pettrus had been with them since 1955, former communist military defector and most of the agents had likewise come on in the fifties and sixties. How would they recruit new agents? Picking on orphans and shell shocked veterans was the method her grandfather seemed to have used. He'd died years before Integra's birth, but she suspected that he must've been a right bastard, especially after she read Walter's file. The version she saw was heavily edited, she was sure and it still came off cruel. No wonder he'd become... She shuddered and focused back on Mr. Pettrus whose taciturn face was unreadable. "Yes, well I have a few things I need you to get started with." She crossed to the desk. "Here's a list of tutors I'd like to schedule and I'll need continued practical training as well, guns, fencing and the like. Can you locate people we can trust for that?"

Another smile cracked across his broad face, threatening to challenge her image of him as a grumpy old man. "You have a staff full of trainers, Miss. I'll arrange it all for you."

As grateful as she felt, Integra would've preferred if he would leave so she could scare up the old books she came for. She started opening all the drawers, as discreetly as she could.

Pettrus cleared his throat, "If I may Miss? What are you looking for?"

Integra almost told him, then checked that urge, "I think my father left a pocket knife in here, I'm just looking." She gave him a 'I'm a silly kid' grin, just in case.

"Oh, yes, I expect he has a few things hid away in there. That drawer there was his humidor," he pointed a white gloved finger at a drawer she thought held files. She slid it open to find a stash of cigars of different types. "Mind you, that may be part of what killed him, no?"

Integra nodded, that topic was too raw for words. The scent from the humidor brought her father's image to her mind so clearly it was as if he was there with her. She drew a long breath and closed it. Integra went on searching a bit more openly. In the time it took her to inspect every drawer, Pettrus had her desk under control, the piles were cleared, with case folders and boxes replacing the unmanageable mess. If she hadn't still felt so annoyed at not locating her father's keys, Integra might've kissed the agent, geezer or no. "Thank you, Mr. Pettrus."

"Tom, please Miss, just Tom."

Going from being the kid in the house to its lord was no easy thing. For one thing she had to relearn how to address everyone. "Tom," she smiled. "And you can call me Integra, not Miss."

He nodded, but his smile had faded. It was hard for all of them. "I have your schedule for tomorrow, Miss... Integra, but if I may, I think you'll have to call a meeting soon, Mis- I'm sorry, may I call you sir or ma'am or some such? It's that it's, well, I've been a soldier so long..."

"Yes, of course, 'sir' would be nice," she thought about the status of her knighthood request, how long could they sit on that? Even her late uncle had an honorary knight title, not with the Royal Protestant Knights certainly, but a Companion of Honour for service.

"Yes, well, sir, I'd like to request you meet with us agents, formally, and let us know how things will go now. There's no place for rumors here." His hard voice included a warning for her. There were only five active agents left, not counting Walter. Tom, for however long, was out of commission helping her and she had no plans in place for replacing them when they all needed to retire.

"Please do so, I'll speak with Walter in the morning, can we arrange for an afternoon meeting?"

"That's the best time for us... sir," he picked up some boxes. "I'll take these down to storage then head on off to bed, I advise that you do likewise."

She watched him head out of the anteroom door, "Thank you again, agent." Her head was begging her to get to bed; she wondered if it would ever feel like it wasn't stuffed with cotton again. Tonight it was hurting as well. More vampire tricks?

"Not at all, my Master," the voice rang through the room, but she couldn't place where he was.

"What are you doing in my head?" She swung her head around the room before finding him in a corner, cloaked in shadow. He rested on an armchair as if he'd been there all evening, one long leg crossed over the other at the knee.

He regarded her cooly before answering, "The bonds that tie me to your blood also tie you to me."

Integra felt an almost hopeless feeling rise within her. She was shackled with this creature, this enemy, who could pry into her thoughts? Dear Father, why?

Alucard looked away, tracking a bat that flew out over the grounds. He sent a territorial message to it and received its confused submission in response. "You may believe me, Master, I have no interest in the goings on of a teenage girl's mind. I use discretion regarding our mental link."

False bravado was all she had to fall back on. "Go away." She saw him flick his glowing eyes at her, then back out the window. "Get back to wherever you go. Just go."

"You don't need a report?" He showed mild surprise.

"You've already told me you killed your target and I'll hear the rest from Agent Dollnez," she held to a cold tone, unsure what he could tell about how she felt. Before her final words had left her lips, he was gone. Integra glared at her grandfather's portrait. "Why?"


	8. Chapter 8

**Youth and Innocence**

Chapter 8

Standard disclaimer: All characters belong to Kohta Hirano and his publishers. They may rest in peace knowing that I make no money off of this.

8.

Sweat rolled down Walter's body as he finished his reps. His body ached. Last night he'd faced more ghouls than he had in years. He was almost tempted to write up his kills like they used to do in the ready room; it must've been decades since they did that. Who had started that? Lyman was it? Long since gone, of course, fallen from a roof during a mission. Fallen or been thrown, either way the result was the same. It was testimony to the way things had calmed down that the only recent death was Bennett's. That or they had all gotten better over the years. The thought brought a smile to the Hellsing Trash man as he started another set.

The meeting with Integra had gone better than expected. His plan, still in its rough form, appealed to her. She'd been director for less than five days and she showed some brilliance. He'd always known she would, but he wished she'd had years to slip into the role. Arthur had wanted to pass along so much. Walter almost stopped his routine at the sudden stabbing in his heart, but after a moment decided that it was of the emotional not physical variety. Toughing through that pain was what they all had to do.

Last night's clean up had been satisfying, at least. Since the site was such a large one, with many ghoul corpses to deal with and hundreds of coffins to explain, he'd decided to torch the place. Alucard was wary, of course, but he seemed to enjoy the end result as much as Walter. The army handled damage control before civilians arrived. Destruction was limited to the infested warehouse, so all's well that ends well. He'd deal with the bruises and sore muscles as best he could. They'd taken down forty seven ghouls and he'd killed three lesser vampires. Alucard must've killed hundreds by the looks of the warehouse, plus the ten or so he took off of Walter. It was good having him back, problematic but good. He'd advised Integra to reconsider her veil of secrecy. He wasn't sure if any of the current agents had been aware of Alucard, he was not by nature a discreet creature. Still, not many went out on missions with him, back in the day.

Knowing his own limits, Walter decided to skip the next round through the gym. He passed Leung on his way to the showers. "Tough night, eh Walter?" Pat Leung was a compact, but powerful man. He'd come on when Walter was almost a twenty year veteran, but they got along well.

"The cultists didn't have time to flee this time. You've been to some of the nests they cleared out of, haven't you?" He watched the smaller man rub his bald head, smiling.

"Frustrating ain't it? At least you got to kill a few!" Leung reminded Walter of a shark sometimes, especially when he spoke of killing. The man had been through a bit of a rough patch in the seventies, crisis of conscious or drugs, or some such. He came out of it leaner and meaner.

Walter agreed and waved as he went to clean off. Perhaps he could recommend Pettrus get Leung to teach the girl some hand to hand as well as the meditating he did so much. Good for pain control as he'd taught Walter long ago. Integra would need that.

"Hey thar, Miss Integger. Sorry 'bout yer 'da," the familiar face of the groom greeted her as she came back from a trot around the riding ring. Her father had loved hunting and made sure she could ride at a young age. She hoped Bennett had been wrong about getting rid of the horses. She could live without dogs, but horses? They had the family horses, even her mother's, and her father had a breeding program that she'd have to look into. An odd family memory struck her: It was years ago while her mother was still with her. They were sitting in the second floor study, Walter, she and her parents. Everyone was reading something and the adults were all smoking. Her father was telling Walter about a secret eugenics or some such Nazi thing that had just been excavated in Poland. It was a small news item, but he sounded so disgusted by it. Her mother chimed in that he didn't seem to mind experimenting on his own creatures. The men froze, her father's face in shock and Walter's was suddenly blank. What struck Integra was how out of proportion their reaction was. Her mother felt it too as she asked, "What? Your breeding program, with the horses?" Everything went back to normal at that, but it creeped her out to see her father so taken off guard.

"Hullo, Skip!" She wondered why he was watching her so carefully as she jumped from the saddle. Her horse snorted at her and she rubbed the mare's neck in a friendly way. Then again, everyone on the staff was worried about her, it seemed. "Yeah, thanks." She was still wearing dark colors, although her riding clothes didn't reflect that. She'd change into her mourning dress before the scheduled meeting. Integra turned her attention to the leather straps on her saddle, startled when she heard him speak again.

"If thar's anythan'..." he stopped, red faced. His thick accent came mainly from his dad, he'd been raised right here on the mansion grounds, but his father was from the north. There'd been a connection between the families that Skip had only heard hints of. Some help that the Hellsings had provided in the past. His dad was a loyal man and there was no complaining about the lowly nature of barn work. Skip hoped to be a great trainer, but if he stayed here his whole life, he wouldn't mind that either. Especially now that Integra was getting older. Last year, he'd wouldn't have paid her any mind. She'd just been the kid. Good with horses, but not exceptionally so. Now?

"Oh, thank you," she blushed too, not sure why. He was only a few years older than she. Maybe that was it? He was almost the only young face on the mansion grounds. There was a waiter in his twenties inside the house as well, and the staff children who came now and then when their parents couldn't find sitters, but that was all. Skip wasn't really handsome, just plain in a pleasant way. He had red hair that tended toward the unruly and his chin was a bit weak. Sometimes he tried to grow facial hair, but she expected that his father made him shave. "Um, well. I'll just put Bennie back..."

He moved to help her as she led the gray mare to the stall. Fresh hay and feed had been set out, and Bennie seemed anxious to get to it. Pulling the tack off with Skip's help, Integra shook her hair out of her helmet and watched as his eyes followed the movement. This was new. It seemed warm in the stables now. It had been cool before, but there was too much heat in the small stall, so close together. She didn't want to run, but neither could she tarry with him, be alone with him. "I'd better get back, can you do the brush and curry?" Integra knew about puberty, she'd had the bleeding starting last year, but she'd never felt anything for Skip before. She felt his eyes on her as she headed back to the mansion and she wasn't sure how she felt about that.

Alucard awoke quickly, as he always did. After drawing some stored power from his domain, he searched the building for his master. Following her anger last night, he wanted to keep his contact limited. That plan changed once he heard her addressing questions from the agents. There was a question concerning himself? Temptation is a harsh mistress. If pushed away, she often redoubles her efforts. It is best to give in to her early and often. At least, that was the thought fueling his smile as he emerged behind Integra in the large meeting room.

To their credit, the agents all kept their cool. Several weapons were drawn, but Walter motioned for everyone to sit back down. Alucard came around her and made a big show of bending to her on one knee, his head bowed. "My Master." She played her part, although he felt her fear. This time it was not his nearness that disturbed her, but the public performance of his servitude. He heard her swallow hard.

"Alucard. These are the men who serve Hellsing. Each and every one of them is under your protection, you are not to harm them." She spread her arms to encompass the room and he took advantage of her right hand, gripping it to himself as he rose and looked out at them. She kept her cool, though he could feel tentative tugs as he stood next to her.

He kept his form as normal as possible, even down to dulling the glow of his eyes. The men clearly mistrusted him. He felt open hostility from several and open curiosity from one. They all looked to be younger than Walter but not by much. Alucard smiled, keeping all but his fang tips hidden. He looked each man in the eye, trying to decode their anger towards his presence from their anger at Integra's new plans. She could easily change her orders to him if they needed to cull the herd. Walter had proven himself capable of removing dangers without guilt. Alucard released Integra's hand as she was again pulling, in what she'd hoped was a discreet manner, causing her to bump into Walter, who had stepped back into line with them once he was certain no one would start an unfortunate fight.

"Likewise," she was pleased to see Mr. Pettrus smiling in an encouraging way at her, "you all will form the core of our commanding officers and I'm asking you to set the example of respecting Alucard's expertise at combating the undead." There were some polite coughs that expressed dissension, then silence until one of the larger men stood up.

"With all due respect, Miss, I've been killing filth like him for twice the years you've been alive. Now you want me to work with one?" He shook his head.

Integra tried to pull up his file in her mind. "Reggie" Reynolds, age 50, joined up about thirty years ago. Solid in the field, favored a combination of axe and pistol. Not the sort she'd want on a sensitive mission, like taking out a vampire near civilians, but Walter spoke well of him. She liked the way he challenged her with what they all must be thinking. She looked up at Alucard, but his mask was firmly in place, he didn't seem to be reacting to the insult. "Imagine having one of the most powerful weapons against them and not using it," she reasoned. "Alucard is bound to this family and follows my orders, just as you all do." There was some shifting among the men. A quick look at Walter showed some strain on his face as well. Maybe that was the wrong tack to take, but it was the way she felt it had to be. I can't treat these men as friends or equals, they have to respect me, she reasoned, child though I may be. Integra crossed her arms, daring someone else to speak.

From the corner of his eye, Walter watched Alucard most carefully. His orders were clear, none of these men were to be harmed. The seals should keep him from doing anything against the agents, but Walter had his silver wires laced and ready.

"Lady Hellsing," a small man began. She remembered him as Patrick Leung, originally from Hong Kong, orphan, brought in due to his excellence in martial arts and an unfortunate run in with the Hellsing crew as they cleared out a nest near his neighborhood. "I applaud your vision of Hellsing with a paramilitary army, but I have severe reservations about your relationship with... Well, you are young and haven't dealt with them, but vampires, they're not, I mean, you can't-"

"I can and I will!" Integra exploded with anger. Her fist shook at the older men, "don't patronize me. I've seen this beast in action." Her finger pointed up at the vampire. "I am alive because of him! He will serve Hellsing and you will get over that. If you can't, you can just walk right out that door." She crossed her arms and stared down the larger men. It took all of the agents and Walter by surprise, but Alucard chuckled quietly, a satisfied grin spreading across his face. No one moved for some time. From the back, hands began to clap. Integra wasn't sure who started it, but soon they all stood clapping, some less enthusiastically than Mr. Pettrus. "Right then, dismissed." She turned and exited, Alucard close behind.

"Well done, Master," he said once they were in her office. He felt her annoyance at the compliment, did she consider it condescending? He would leave it for now. "May I inquire about your new army?"

She swirled to face him, her anger from last night tied with her burst of confidence from the meeting. "Why don't you drag it out of my mind, then!" In the silence that followed, the intercom on her desk chirped into life.

"Integra, darling, it's tea time. Are you there?"

Her finger lingered over the button for just a second before, "Yes, Mary?"

"Would you like me to bring it up to you or will you join me in your study? I wouldn't normally impose, but I've been over your projected schedule and I think we should-"

Integra picked up the line, "I'll be down to join you in a few minutes. Thank you." She turned back to the vampire, his face partially obscured by his shoulder length hair.

"Sir Hellsing, you wound me." He was impressed that she kept eye contact this time, despite how it unnerved her.

"Well, if you must know, the men are aging and I don't want to have to depend on you so much that I can't keep control over you," honesty, she'd read, was very important to vampires. She couldn't find her father's books, but that didn't keep her from reading as much as she could find last night. She was rewarded with what seemed to be a genuine smile on his face. "Now, if you'll excuse me?"

He nodded, "Orders, my Master?"

She stopped walking to the door and considered. "Would you mind going over the events last night and those papers on my desk to see if you can find a pattern? I'll be back from tea in an hour and we can discuss it then. Please don't leave the grounds until we talked." She turned to leave and missed his low bow.

"My pleasure, Master," he said to the air after she'd left. Still, he knew she heard.

Tom Pettrus was not a small man, but he jumped as quickly as a gymnast when the call came in. "Three limousines? Yes, by all means, let them in!" The security company that manned the front gate should know that by now, he thought. His body was already in motion, running down the hallways to alert Integra. Walter was opening the study door as Pettrus tried to slow down, causing a minor collision that they both were too distracted to care about. "The Knights," he huffed, but the look on Walter's face told him he needn't of rushed.

"Come in, Tom. I was just alerting Integra to their unscheduled visit," he didn't want to scare her or upset the governess as the two finished dinner. He couldn't have avoided the first and the latter presupposed that Mary had enough brains to worry over such matters.

"Ah, Tom, good you're all here, the very people I need to change-" Mary stopped as Walter raised one hand, palm out.

"This is not the time. My Lady, we are needed in your office immediately," he could imagine what the governess would be on about. No doubt she wanted Integra to cut back on her schooling. The girl would be ruined by bad advice, now was not the time to slow down. He knew what it was to lose everything in one stroke. She needed focus. She needed challenge and she'd be getting that in spades. "Pettrus, please go to the door and give us a few minutes before Patel escorts them in." There was a slight tensing in both Integra and Tom at his tone, but he brushed that aside. "Go."

Soon Mary was the only one left, sitting bewildered in an empty room.

Alucard lay back on the gravelly rooftop. The lights of the city kept his view from being all he remembered, but the sky was beautiful none the less. He relaxed his form and his mind, taking in all he could of the swirling activity around him. The world outside the mansion was in the first bloom of night. Creatures went on about their routines, living and dying as they should. Within the walls, his master fretted with her minders. Silly child!

He felt the comings and goings of the staff. A familiar pang reminded him that he wasn't to leave the grounds. It wasn't that he was hungry, Alucard dismissed hunger altogether. He'd eaten quite well of late. Having gone almost twenty years between meals, he'd made a vindictive point of eating. There was even a pack of medical blood in his pocket from the lorry he'd raided the night before. Truth was that he could go months between meals without damage, any mature vampire could. No, the pang was deeper. It was servitude itself that pained him. Still, she had such potential! He chuckled at himself, perhaps I am that 'fickle creature,' as her ancestor called me. He rolled his body up and rose to another perch.

Bringing the case she'd asked him to think about to mind, he was quite certain that there were several vampires involved. Perhaps one would be a challenge, but probably not. The quality of their recruits, and hence their judgment, pointed in the other direction. Unraveling their work would give him pleasure, though. There was solace in that. He'd wait until the three Knights left before approaching her again. Like a statue he sat, filtering through the sounds of the night.

"...with Walter Dollnez in charge, in a caretaker capacity until your eighteenth birthday. The vampire, Alucard can be released at that time, if you so choose." The report smacked her desk as the man finished.

Integra quickly surveyed the room. Pettrus stood behind her, a frown creasing his face. She'd figured out earlier that he was no fan of Walter. Standing next to her, Walter's face was unreadable. For years she'd seen that look on his face and was no closer to figuring it out now. She knew from his personnel report that he'd been trained as a butler and valet, so perhaps that was part of his training, that non-look? The three men who faced her, the ones that would take Hellsing from her, looked smug and certain. They talked to Walter, in fact, dismissing her altogether. A thought nestled itself inside her throat and stuck there, maybe Walter wants this? No. Impossible. Or was it?

"For the time being, then," Sir Islands said as he picked up his briefcase.

"Sir Hellsing?" Walter turned to her, eyebrows raised. Isn't she going to stand up for herself, he wondered. He could see the shock and anger, but where was the reaction? She had defended herself admirably with the agents and the fact that she was not yet drinking herself into a stupor meant she must be handling Alucard well, better at least than Arthur. Her eyes met his briefly before she turned back to the men, the blue skies reflected pain and a part of him winced.

"You have decided this?" Integra wasn't surprised to see the bobbing heads of the men standing. She was spared some moments as her butler entered, carrying a tray of tea and biscuits. Pettrus relieved him of it, but the social burden remained. The Knights were clearly not here for a social call, but to send the tray back would be a faux pas. She waved her hand at the treats, but no one moved.

"Really, Integra, we're doing this for you," Sir Jacob Bolcom, one of the younger men on the Convention of Twelve, said somberly. "You don't know the difficulties and you would be better served improving yourself at this age." Bennett's report revealed Bolcom to be one of the men who supported her uncle's attempt to take control of Hellsing, although there was no reason to think he wanted her dead. Still, he clearly didn't want her in charge.

"We promised your father we'd look after you," Sir Grayson Newcastle tried for a friendly look. "I have girls of my own and wouldn't wish this duty on anyone, much less a thirteen year old."

That is exactly the wrong thing to say, thought Walter with a swallowed smile. He watched as her dusky skin went two shades darker.

"My Father," Integra bit off each word, spitting them back out at the ones who would take her birthright away, "put me in charge. Personally. On his deathbed. Who are you to take that away?"

"Yes, well. I think we've all been given a bit to think about, don't you?" Sir Islands shrank back with the other men, "We'll have a formal round table on Monday. That way, we can get you back in school next term and all will be well." The middle aged Knight turned to Walter, "see to the vampire, Walter."

"This way, gentlemen," Mr. Patel's deep voice resonated back into the office.

Integra still stood, almost forgetting how to breathe. "W... Walter?" She turned to look at him as her secretary came up on the other side of her. "Can they do that?" She let Tom help her sit once Walter nodded, his face thoughtful. She knew that of course, they ran England, they could do most anything.

"Where is Alucard?" Walter asked. "We'll need-"

"No!" The force of her fist hitting the desk propelled her out of her seat, empty teacups clinking as they jumped about. "That I won't allow! No! I am responsible and I won't let you do it." Her body spoke of barely contained anger, more than she had mustered when her directorship was threatened.

"My Lady, no-"

"You heard her, Dollnez, now why don't you get out?" Pettrus moved to open the hallway door.

Momentarily shaken, Walter walked towards it. "Miss Integra?" He felt stung by the wariness in her look. She said nothing, but pointed. Since he had been her age, he'd served the Hellsings. Did she think he'd suddenly change? He sighed, she needed time, though there was precious little of that now. "As you wish, my Lady." Walter bowed as he exited.

Pettrus contained himself well enough not to slam the door behind the Trash man, but was caught by surprise as Alucard chose that moment to enter. He solidified through the same door, though in fact he'd been observing for a few minutes.

"Sir Hellsing," his senses were on alert, watching the large man who lurked behind as well as the petite girl in front of him.

"It doesn't look like I will ever be now," there was just a trace of humor in her voice as she pointed at the slim book on her desk. She plopped back into her father's chair and watched as the vampire absorbed the information, flipping pages with gloved fingers. Sealing him away was wrong, no matter how annoying he could be. There was an aching in her chest at the very idea. He was hers, even more than Hellsing was. The organization belonged to the nation, to the monarch and could be disbanded at a whim. She'd gotten upset about being tied to him by blood, but the connection was all she could really call her own. Integra felt the shifting of Mr. Pettrus as he came to stand behind her. No doubt he'd have knives readied. Paranoia, her father had explained, was a useful trait in the agents and they were always armed. As a child he'd warned her of trying to play too much around them. Except for Uncle Walter... now a second traitorous uncle. Perhaps her father had bad judgment?

Alucard held the report, "This does not preclude your knighting, Sir Hellsing, only postpones it." He knew that to a child, five years might as well be fifty. "It seems like a fair plan to help you gradually take command." He let his inflection rise, indicating that she could argue with him if she chose.

"I do not have the leisure to take command slowly, Hellsing is mine and I must run it." Integra felt the nervousness of her secretary again as Alucard moved around the desk. "Tom, would you take the tray back, I don't think anyone will be needing more tea tonight."

Alucard stepped back to let the large man pass, then wandered to look out the window. He enjoyed the man's discomfort as his decision played out on his face, to stay and protect Integra or get the hell away from the vampire. One could hardly fault the poor agent for taking the tray. "I'll be right back, sir."

Integra turned to the vampire, leaning against the large windows. "But what of you? What would you have me do? I can't let them put you away... again."

There was an unspoken question in there, one he'd leave alone for the time being. The question burned in her mind. He'd let her father explain the imprisonment, if ever she found the journals. "You needn't trouble yourself over me. Think of your own desires." He went as near to her as he could without making her nervous. He noted that got him closer than it had before. Good, she was getting comfortable with him. "You have friends?"

She nodded sullenly, opening a drawer full of cards, "these are some from my schoolmates." She pulled some of their names up in her mind, but most of their faces remained elusive.

"Don't you want to see them again? Enjoy your classes? Play sports with girls your age? Dance with boys?"

"Of course I do!" Her shout drew a smile from him and she realized he'd been baiting her, playing devil's advocate. Time to try a different tack. "Do you think Walter will run Hellsing better than I can?"

The vampire shrugged, "Probably, but it's not Hellsing I care for, child."

Her heart lurched. His vermilion eyes held no rancor, no teasing. He looked at her with a look that she might give to Bennie after a good run. Integra looked down, blushing slightly. His words hung in the air. What would a vampire care for, aside from killing and chaos? She was getting better at reading him, was this a good thing? She wasn't sure. She must be reading too much into this, assuming a vampire could care for anything but blood. Back to the point at hand, "Why would Walter turn on me? Power?"

Alucard tossed the Convention of Twelve's advice in the trash can. "What makes you think he has?" He walked around, moving to the corner chair he liked, the one with a direct view outside.

Integra walked closer. "Well," she paused, biting her lip, "he stands to gain from their plan. It didn't come as a surprise to him and he is close to the Knights. He told me about working for them when he prepped me before Father's funeral."

"I work for Hellsing because I am enslaved, bound." His gaze made Integra step back, the muted anger in those orbs wasn't in his voice, but it was real. She felt it. "Why does Walter work for you?"

"He... It's all he's ever... for my father and... But Uncle Richard also worked for Hellsing!" Her eyes shone with the hurt she felt. Twice betrayed by the men she grew up with. No, she would resist this. School was something she was prepared to give up. Childhood was something she was prepared to give up. Hellsing was not.

"Hold your friends close, and your enemies closer, Master," he smiled at her, watching emotions play in her large azure eyes.

"Like you?"

He was enjoying this discussion much more than the one he'd come to have, about the case at hand. Yes, he'd lived by that motto, both in his human days and in his unlife. As a no-life King, his first wife had been such an enemy, a vampire bent on beating down the 'upstart' in the Carpathian mountains. Beautiful creature, but that was not why he'd courted, broken and wed her. He kept her where he could control the damage she would do to him. Centuries later, her last reproof to him had been that he didn't love her anymore. Of course, he had never loved her. Still, he mourned her loss as he did the loss of his other wives and the dear ones he lost too soon, Lucy and Mina. All lost to the great grandfather of the child before him, the child who felt such a deep sense of ownership of him. It touched him. "Yes, my Master. It is safest to keep counsel with your enemies, to hold them close so that they can do little harm to you. Bide your time, then claim your rightful place."

Integra sighed as she rose and walked to the door, "Then I suppose I should speak with Walter."


	9. Chapter 9

**Youth and Innocence**

Chapter 9

Standard disclaimer: All characters belong to Kohta Hirano and his publishers. I have no stake in them.

9.

Arthur Hellsing had very specific ideas about running a civilized killing organization. For example, Integra knew he was particular about the housing of the agents, rejecting their dormitory style rooms in favor of revamped servant housing. He also abhorred cubicles, so each agent had a small office near the communication rooms. She'd been privy to dinner conversations in which costs came up and he'd firmly denounced such measures as self defeating. "What is saved in money is wasted in terms of morale," he'd said. That was why she stood outside the open door of Walter's office rather than eavesdropping near a cubicle. She could've patched into the switchboard to listen, but she was here to speak with him directly. So she stood silently and listening in on his private conversation.

"You're a short timer yourself, Ferguson, right?" He paused, pleased at how helpful the General had been. "You may want to consider moving over here, once your term is up. Pretty hard for our lot to think of days on the links, eh?" He listened, flipping through a notepad full of names as the old soldier thought out loud about various retirement ideas. "You'd be in on the start of things here, though, that's one consolation. You'd be in charge of getting things done, not like the army. Our leader is young, open to change, I think you'd like her." He didn't want to hard sell the position, but this officer would be a catch for a small paramilitary. "Thanks, you too and keep in touch, thanks again for the list." He leaned back in his chair, removed his monocle and rubbed the bridge of his nose before speaking. "You may feel free to enter, Miss Integra."

She almost jumped, but composed herself before moving into the doorway. "So, you knew I was there?" Had he complemented her just now knowing she was listening?

"Of course, Miss. It's part of what you pay me for, isn't it? I may not have a vampire's senses, but I can smell your perfume. Now, how may I assist you?" His voice sounded tight, all business. His hand gestured toward the chair behind him, but she remained standing. Mary should be proud, he thought, her posture's perfect.

"Right," she'd come to apologize, but her suspicions wouldn't let go, "so you're lining up your army?"

"Yours, my Lady," he clenched back his ire, remembering her youthfulness. "Even in the worst case scenario, I'd only be watching Hellsing while you studied." He raised his hand to stop the storm he saw brewing on her pretty face. "But it is hardly certain that it'll come to that. I have some ideas, if you'd be so kind as to hear them this time?"

Integra prided herself on knowing when to close her mouth. As he'd said, she paid him, at least for the time being, she might as well listen. She inclined her head, but before he could begin, another agent came running up the hallway.

"Walter! Are you on the Vax?" They had a computer network to share information within the organization, though it was pretty slow. "Oh, hello, Ms. Hellsing."Agent Leung focused on her as he neared the office. "Am I interrupting, Walter?" He didn't look unhappy about it if he were.

Walter waved his hand, dismissing concern, "What is it?"

Leung handed him a strip of computer paper, its perforations torn in the excitement. "Your mole is finally paying off! He's intercepted this and, as you can see, it's promising."

"Or a trap," Walter muttered and Leung's grin widened as he watched Walter read the papers.

Integra watched the men interacting in a way she usually didn't get to see. Walter did have a sense of command with the other agents, she thought. He was comfortable with them, but that was to be expected, they relied on each other in the field. She wouldn't be able to have that unless she was one of them. They discussed strategy as she stood, feeling left out. She perked up as Walter reached for the phone again.

"This is Father Baker, is an Emily McMillan there? Oh, well I'm pleased to catch you at home. Yes? Well, some friends asked me to call; you had some questions? Yes, that's him." Walter was writing a name and passing the note to Leung who shrugged his shoulders. "So when would you like to... no, I don't think this is the sort of thing I can discuss here, on the phone. Yes, I see, well as it happens, I was headed there tonight... after a meeting, would you like to- Yes, that might be nice, a touch of food would be lovely." He was internalizing his act, as he always had to. Soon he'd begin to feel peckish, despite having eaten earlier. "Yes, well I'll look for you there, then. Goodbye, Emily."

Leung let out a long breath as Walter hung up the phone. "Quick work, that. So, if it's a trap?"

Walter turned to Integra, who thought she must've been forgotten. "I'll need to borrow Alucard, if that's alright?" He was careful with his request, trying to sound less demanding.

Integra couldn't help digging it in, "What would you do if he were locked away?" She noticed Leung's lip had curled up at the mention of the vampire, but he composed himself.

Walter sighed. "I didn't suggest... never mind, if he weren't here, I'd wear a microphone and have two men to back me up. We can do this on our own, but with Alucard, I won't need a wire. That's a benefit in a soft interrogation. Do you understand, Miss?"

Anger filled her, but she choked it back down. He was trying to explain methods and she needed that; she should appreciate it. "Yes," she forced herself to add, "thank you, Walter." She turned to go, but he put a hand on her elbow to stop her.

"Pat, check on this person, see how long she's been at this number, is she registered as a student, the usual. Try to match up that new name with anyone we've contacted. Thanks for the lead. Cheers." He noticed Leung's annoyance as he left. The agent had expected to tag along and get some action, but Walter felt more comfortable teaming with a vamp. Well, that was the truth, and Alucard could follow him easier, provided the vampire didn't get distracted. "I'm sorry, my Lady, but we were about to discuss strategies regarding the proposition from the Knights?"

"Strategies?" Her voice was high and tight. She tried to bring up Alucard's advice, but all she could think of was Walter shipping her off to school with the vampire bound in the basement.

Walter watched her, his face blank. She was not taking this well, he noted. Silence hung between them for a second while Walter considered letting her leave so he could get on with his night's work. "Miss Hellsing," he finally began, "I would not presume to give you advice, but it may be a good idea for you to push ahead with finding and crushing this cult so that you can present it to the Protestant Knights at a formal hearing. With Alucard and myself behind you, I think they would have to back down. Also, they can only force you to attend school for the next three years, after which, they would be hard pressed to keep you from heading Hellsing."

"But, this is an-"

"Yes, my Lady, this is a most important time and I support your leadership, if you could please understand that I am not-" He stopped to lower his voice, which he realized had gotten loud enough to carry down the hallway, "I'm not interested in leading Hellsing."

Integra wanted to believe him, but she had a recent memory of her uncle, who was "just helping out for the first few days" and then tried to off her once she asserted herself. Funny that she felt immense guilt over the dwarf secretary's death, a man she'd loathed, but no guilt over the death of her uncle, a man she'd always thought she loved. She shook her head, trying to get the images of both men out. "I'm sorry Walter." She turned to go and he let her. I'm sorry you're betraying me, was the part she wouldn't speak, not to him, not yet.

A man stood around in the shadows outside the busy pub. Perhaps it would be more accurate to say that the shadows stood around the man. "Trap?" The man whispered, inaudible to anyone on the street, but the shadows moved, almost as a caress before he heard an answer.

"There is no activity that I can sense," the answer came, disconcertingly close to his ear. He felt a light touch, from the lobe of his ear, down his neck. It drew a shiver, but no other external reaction.

The conservatively dressed gentleman stepped out into the light, with what he hoped was a friendly look on his face. As he entered the pub, Walter looked around for the woman he'd spoken with. He saw her, in a back booth, as they'd agreed, looking much like she'd described. She was young, but she wore a world weary expression. She jumped as he sat down across from her. "Oh! I'd thought you wouldn't come."

"Why would you think that?" He extended a hand, "Father Timothy Baker, at your service. Would you like a card?" She took the offered card, it listed a number that rang at Hellsing, but wouldn't be identified as such. It also listed his work as vicar in a small parish where there had been ghoul attacks.

She gave it the briefest of glances before settling herself back into the booth. "I'm a bit confused," she gave him a shy smile and shrugged her shoulders.

"This is a big decision," he agreed. "You've asked for spiritual advice, how can I assist you?"

She had a pretty enough face, eyes a bit widely spaced for conventional beauty, but he could see she'd tried to compensate for that with her makeup. Her hazel eyes seemed to appraise him back. She smiled. "Well, I've been reading some of the pamphlets I got at church, kind of a lark that I found them."

Walter chuckled lightly as though he knew. He signaled the waitress for a beer. She nodded and he turned back to Emily. "We don't keep those out most of the time, how did you come across one?" It was easy to fit into the act, the nagging voice warning him of a trap was silenced in order for him to believe the character he created.

"There's a lending library in our undercroft," she sipped her drink. He noted she drank the sort of drink that one unaccustomed to hard liquor might favor, something fruity, but packed with a punch. Those are best for putting additives in, should he need to. He nodded for her to continue as she seemed to be a bit uncomfortable. "Well, I shouldn't have been just poking through, but the geriatric sorts of books?" She stopped when the waitress set his drink down, then started again in a whisper. "The ones about when to pull the plug and such? My mum, you see, she's a bit... off now. We put her in a home, but... I've been wondering about such like."

A million ways to follow up occurred to him, but Walter took a drink to keep from putting her off.

"I just pulled a black book from the shelf, and there it was!" She did a little 'ta da' gesture with her hands. She giggled. Walter worried about how long they could stay in public. If she got too drunk, he'd have a problem on his hands. "It was like a revelation, just waiting for me to find it!"

No doubt, thought Walter dryly, but what he said was, "How lucky for us! We need people like you." He was rewarded with a beaming smile. She covered her mouth, embarrassed. There was a space between her front teeth. He thought it was cute, but people could be sensitive about anything he supposed.

"How long have you been..." she wasn't sure how to phrase it, "with them?"

He laughed heartily. "Well, I've been in the church since I was a child, but with them, maybe it's been a decade." One of the keys to keeping a straight face when lying was to laugh ahead of it, so that the person you're lying to is too busy wondering if you're laughing at them or yourself to see the clues sitting in front of them.

"Oh," she looked around, as if noticing the crowded pub for the first time. "Would you like to, um, come up to my place; I have more questions, but maybe we shouldn't, um..."

His shoulders almost tensed, but he used a quick mental trick to keep himself relaxed. If this was the spring to the trap, he was well prepared. He'd packed a kit bag, which Alucard stashed somewhere, and he had his killing wires on. The rings were unobtrusive and in fact, some girlfriends had asked for matching ones. "Well, I don't want to keep you up too late, you probably have work in the morning?"

She shook her head, "naw, day off. I work in a little office, but we work the weekends, so we get days off every few weeks." Her eyes were puffy from lack of sleep, but she seemed to push that worry off with a shy smile.

"If it's no trouble for you, then, I'd love to continue our discussion," he allowed. He helped her into her coat. "Do you still have the booklet? I'd like to see it." He watched her fish through her pockets, but she came up empty. "No bother, then."

"I think it's at my flat," she smiled a little broader, this time without covering her teeth. He rewarded her with his most charming look. Yes, he thought, this was probably a set up for a trap. Still, she was nice to be with until then. They walked along the late night street. The night time crowd had thinned down to trickles streaming now and then from the various pubs and clubs around Cambridge.

Emily grabbed his arm to keep her balance as they crossed a small alleyway, but kept a hold of him for some time after. Considering they'd just met, he was a bit taken aback, but he played his role. He sensed some nervousness as they entered her building. She seemed to be looking at it through his eyes. "It's a bit shabby now, but it used to be quite grand." She fumbled with her keys in the lock. His wires were ready as soon as she moved to open it, but he quickly moved his hands down once the door opened and there was no ambush. "Sit anywhere," she laughed as she put her coat away. There were no chairs, just cushions on the floor and a futon bed in the center of the messy efficiency. He looked over to the small kitchen, there was a stool up against the counter, but that didn't look like a cozy place to chat, more like a utilitarian place to slurp soup.

Well, this is awkward, Walter thought. She blushed as she closed the closet door, "I don't entertain, as you can see." She pushed aside some books and cleared off a cushion for him. "Oh, here's the little book." She handed him the pamphlet as he sat.

"This is the church?" He read the name stamped onto the back and she nodded, smiling. The cracking in his knees caused them both to laugh, "I'm not as young as I used to be," he mock apologized.

"Have you..." she paused, "I mean, when will you join them? You know, the Risen?"

"Well, I do my share," he had to duck around, hoping she knew less about them than he did. "Do you have anything to drink?" She was already rising, nodding her head and smiling. He was pleased to see her wobble just a touch as she reached the tiny kitchen. If no monsters jumped out of her closets, he should have her talking and be gone in no time.

She chatted on as she returned, bottle in one hand and glasses in the other. It was a cheap white wine, not his first choice, but he received it warmly. "They seem awfully interested in... well, you know already, but... they asked about my maidenhead," she giggled and he joined her in a smile. She looked almost sly as she asked, "how important is that, Father?"

"Please, call me Tim," since they were talking about such intimate subjects, "it's less a theological than a biological problem, truth be told." He knew the vampire's minions used fancy terms to disguise the fact that they would kill her and turn her into a killing demon. In fact, they denied the existence of vampires entirely. "The ritual is easier if one is untouched, but it is possible, by preparing the initiate properly, to change anyone." It was also easier if the creature doing the changing happened to be very powerful, like Alucard, or whoever it was that changed him in the first place. Vlad Dracula had lost his virginity in every sense well before he became a true monster. "Who did you speak to?" Once she'd named the contact, he nodded his head, like he knew the man. "Yeah, that's the way some of them think. It would be easier if you were virgin, but really, it's not worth eliminating anyone for. Is there anything you'd like to share with me about your concerns?" She was drinking two for every one glass he had.

"Well, I said I was, but there was this bloke in high school. No shagging," she blurted with a blush, "but there was... you know... messing about. I didn't know if it was a big deal. But if it's not that important..."

Degrees of virginity... Her soul hung in the balance. She was considering joining a vampire cult and she had no idea. Walter tried to stay detached, he could use her to get to the entry level folks, at least. If she were bit, she'd either be a ghoul or a weak vampire. Of the two, he'd personally prefer to be a ghoul. At least their souls go on, usually. They're not responsible for the actions done with their corpses. Not so the vampire.

"So you know the Risen ones? You've been with them?" She had such honest reverence on her face that he wondered how much longer he could keep up the act. "We can really defeat death? Like Jesus?"

Luckily Walter had heard such talk from their converts before, so he avoided breaking out in laughter, "Oh yes, I've been quite close to them. It is, perhaps an overstatement to compare them to Jesus," he could imagine the size of Alucard's grin. "You need to make an educated decision, though. Are you scheduled? Do you know when they want to... turn you?" He had to guess at their language, but she didn't flinch, so he mustn't have been too far off.

"This Sunday coming up, so you can see why we needed to talk right away," she looked dreamily into her wine, then finished her glass.

"Where?" He'd spoken too sharply. Suspicion drifted across her face and she wrinkled her nose as her befuddled mind tried to think. He laughed it off. "I've been invited to serve at three inductions this weekend, I'd like to be at yours, so I was wondering where it was being held."

Her tension eased, "Oh, yeah, they're picking me up so I'm not sure... I think a church would be nice, maybe a cathedral..." her dreamy self returned, along with a sly, almost sexual look.

"Have they talked about the spiritual implications, yet?"

She moved closer to him, grabbing the bottle that sat between them. Her hand brushed along his knee, as if she was fascinated by the texture of the wool. "Well, there's the communion, the holy blood of Christ..."

Walter leaned back ignoring her touch. The cushions were actually pretty comfortable as long as he didn't need to stand up and sit down rapidly. "It's a bit more literal than you may be used to. Do you think you could handle the transmutation if the wine becomes true blood? Human blood?"

She rose, clearly drunk now. "I'd do anything to skip the decline, the death I see on my mother's face." She stood over him and stumbled slightly. "I've got to go to the loo. If you wanna," she gestured at the bed, it's crumpled duvet testifying to her poor seduction skills.

He smiled and shrugged rather than answer. As she closed the door he rose. This would be the most graceful time he'd have to exit, but first he went to her closet to plant a small transmitter in her coat. It was a small gesture, but he hoped that they'd be able to save her from herself if they knew where she'd gone.


	10. Chapter 10

Youth and Innocence

Chapter 10

Standard disclaimer: Kohta Hirano and his publishers, each in their own awesome way, own Hellsing and all of its characters... I have no stake in them.

10.

Laughter and crude language filtered down the hall where the agents had their offices. Leung poked his head out as Walter and Alucard walked in, bantering easily about different ways the night's activities could have gone. He willed his face to go blank as he called out to them.

"Hey Pat! Good lead, wish we'd had her weeks ago. I need to stay here and fill out a report, but if you're still looking for a fight, I have an errand to send you on." Walter's good cheer wasn't as contagious as it would've been if the large vampire hadn't been behind him.

"First you'd better check in with the boss. She's been waiting up for you," Leung stepped back involuntarily as Walter and Alucard stopped walking and came to rest right in front of his door. He showed no other outward sign of discomfort, but the vampire smiled an evil grin and tilted his head, one red eye glinting at him as a lock of hair mercifully blocked the other.

Walter checked his watch, "In her office?" His voice was calm, but no trace of good humor remained.

Leung's voice seemed to come back to him slowly, "No, I guess she thought you'd come in the front, she's out in the foyer." He put his hands behind his back to hide their shaking.

Walter murmured his thanks and he and the 'pet' wandered on in silence, watched by several agents, all leaning out from behind their small desks.

Integra had moved one of the large, almost throne-like chairs out of the library and had sat reading for a while, waiting for her agents to return. Her book and glasses had tumbled to the floor and she laid in a curled position, looking quite a few years younger as she dreamed. Walter and Alucard both stood, captivated by the sight.

Walter remembered the many times he'd carried her sleeping form upstairs. Sometimes, when she'd been quite young and he'd still been active as a butler, he'd carry the baby up to the governess, giving the couple more time together. Later, he'd often come across her as she was now, curled up in one of the giant chairs, surrounded by schoolbooks, head on one of the large oak tables in the study. He'd feel a surge of paternal pride as he laid her down in her bed, still dreaming. Silly to remember that now, he thought, but doesn't she look like an angel in her sleep. He turned his head to see Alucard's face, apparently with darker thoughts. He put up a hand to stop the vampire approaching her.

Alucard feigned innocence. "Shouldn't I carry the child up to her bed?"

"No," Walter's voice was rougher than he'd intended, "I had her moved into her father's room." They stared at each other for a few moments. Decades before, Arthur had put wards and charms up to protect his room from the undead. Alucard had helped to plan some of them and was used as guinea pig. There was no way for him to enter the room. He sneered at Walter and continued toward Integra.

"Now see here, Midian!"

Alucard put up one finger, moving it to his own lips and pointing at the sleeping girl. Walter lowered his voice, "I'm serious Alucard. I don't want-"

"What you want is irrelevant, old man." Alucard's red eyes were glowing in the darkened entryway, "She is my master now and I will not be bound by anyone's desires but hers." He turned back to look at her, ignoring Walter's shock. "Do you know what she thinks of you?"

"She thinks I'm a Judas, I know. We spoke earlier, so I know what she thinks. Thank you very much," He spoke softly, watching Alucard carefully. "I'm not trying to take Hellsing from her and I told her so."

Alucard's face almost cracked with suppressed laughter, "She sees you as a monster," he turned to relish the humans response, "She thinks you're as bad as I am."

Walter looked from the vampire to the sleeping girl, a feeling of shock he couldn't hide working its way through his system. "I..." Like most vampires, Alucard was an excellent liar, but Walter knew he derived more pleasure from telling unpleasant truths. Still, how could she... everything he'd ever done had been done for her family.

Alucard hissed softly, almost chuckling, then put his hands on Walter's shoulders, "Come now, don't you have some business to finish?" He directed the man back the way they'd come until he felt Walter shake his assistance off.

Once in his office, Walter sent a message to the other agents, then settled down to write up the notes from his "date" with Emily McMillan. Alucard settled himself behind Walter, wishing he had a hat to shield his eyes from the florescent lights. Not only did they glare, they also had an audible sing that annoyed him. He closed his eyes and put up his feet, incurring a glare from his friend which he ignored. After all, humans usually assumed that he couldn't see them with his eyes closed.

"I am terribly sorry if the accommodations are beneath you," Walter said in a sarcastic tone. Alucard grunted in response. The clacking of keys continued until Alucard moved his feet and looked to the door. A hand knocked once, then opened the door.

"Walter? Oh," Pat Leung stood looking at the vampire.

"Thanks, Leung. That was quick," Walter strove for a casual tone. "Are you up for a little breaking and entering tonight?" That garnered him the agent's full attention.

"Always, Dollnez! You know me!"

"Well, I'd like you to team with Alucard and check out this church," he held out a paper with the information, but the other man didn't take it. "Is that going to be a problem?" Walter's voice held more than the simple question in it; there was a hint of danger as well. Alucard watched the two men.

"I can do it by myself," he swallowed dryly. Leung looked at Walter's hand, still extended with the church location. He itched to grab it, but...

"What are you worried about, Agent?" Alucard's tone was not lost on them.

"Alucard!" Walter said sharply, "Integra has seen fit to loan you to us for the night. You will behave yourself in the field. As Leung said, he can do this himself. I want you to get him in and then take backup, in case there's trouble."

"What, again? Babysitting?"

The centuries old vampire sounded vaguely like a whiny teenager and Leung felt himself relax ever so slightly. Perhaps there was more to him than just the dreadful hunger? "Walter?"

"Pat, if you feel you can't do this, I'll see if Draper is free. You know I wouldn't send Reynolds to a break in." Stephan Draper was a thin, tall man with a keen sense of humor and a killer sniper. In a fixed location situation, he was fantastic backup. He could handle a break in, but wasn't Walter's first choice as his hand to hand was poor.

"Relax, old chap," Leung had found his courage again and took the paper from Walter. He nervously eyed the languid creature who was tapping his fingers along the chair's arm and looking out into the hallway.

"I'd like to come along."

The men fell silent, mouths agape as they looked at Integra standing in the doorway. She looked tired, but had clearly tried to smooth out her dress and hair before she came into view.

"Good evening, Master," Alucard rose and bowed to her. "It's a fine night to go out."

"No," Walter's voice was firm. He looked between Alucard and Integra, "Miss, it wouldn't be wise. This is a... well we don't know what we'll find. It may well be a nest." He didn't think she could command her way out of a dangerous situation. Alucard would protect her, of course, but if something should slip through his defenses... "You haven't been trained on missions, Lady Integra."

"And just how does one get trained without going out on a mission?" She tried to stare him down, but the sharp gray eyes, one now accentuated by a monocle for writing, showed no flicker, no intimidation.

"There is another side of your training that we could get started on," he gestured for Leung and Alucard to leave. "This is the bureaucratic end of things, but it is very important."

Integra watched them leave, fuming. Walter doubted that she was impressed by his busy work, but he was serious. This was every bit as important in the long run. As she turned to glare at him he handed her some papers. "We need to contact your fellow Knights and alert them to the break in. Then we'll need to make certain that the proper authorities are aware to keep harmony between the Queen's services." He sighed. "Alright, Miss, when we're done I'll take you to the location. We can wait outside in the Bentley."

Integra looked a little mollified and reached out for the information. "I do want to go out, Walter. I need to know what it's like for them." She watched him nod, at least he took her seriously.

"Miss, I will personally take you out on a mission once I feel your training is advancing. If you'll just try to be patient." He paused, trying a different approach, one she might be able to understand, "If protecting you distracted Alucard, he might miss a danger to Leung. It would be very bad for morale if he came back from this gig with an agent in a body bag." He could see that sunk in. She straightened up and suggested they go up to her office to make the necessary calls.

Patrick Leung was less than thrilled to be seen with the vampire trailing after him, but he went to change and got his gear as quickly as possible. Using breath control, he was able to put up with the heebie jeebies that crawled up his spine each time he met the crimson eyes. "How do you want to travel? I'll be taking a car."

Alucard exited with him, but looked up at the sky before answering. There were more clouds forming, but dawn was still three hours away. "I'll meet you there. Don't make me wait." He melted into shadows, then bats and was gone before Leung was able to close his gaping mouth.

In the quiet neighborhood, as people lay dreaming, an old door creaked open. A young vampire walked outside, turning left toward the small graveyard. He sniffed for a second and then walked to a tombstone nearest the parking lot. Sitting down on the small bench next to it, he seemed to be thinking. As it was a foreign occupation for him, it took all of his concentration. From a Darwinian perspective, this would be considered a bad thing. A white-gloved hand erupted from the creature's chest and he was troubled no more with thought.

Alucard wiped the dust from his trousers and cursed the agent who he sensed was only now parking a Renault, blocks away. He had already dismantled the guardian charms he found around the church and was tired of waiting. The graveyard behind the sanctuary was still in use as the recently interred testified. Hellsing may have to return to put these down in a few days. These low filth spawn feel like they'll take a while to manifest, he made a mental note to report it to Integra.

The soul is not one single entity, as is commonly imagined. Upon death, it shatters, breaking down into its component parts. There is the trauma of separation with the corporeal that can take hours or days, depending on the strength of the master vampire. A whisper of the soul remains in the fledgling, but the master vampire either consumes or pushes the rest of the soul out from the corpse. If the master is weak, it can be as long as a week before the new vampire rises, a hideous mockery of a true Nosferatu. Without their master, these would be little more than ghouls, but he was getting ahead of himself. He had to kill their master yet.

He had a few more minutes as the agent was walking toward the church yard, so he pulled out an old memory... his last fledgling... Lucy. He cursed Van Helsing out of habit, but Alucard had to take responsibility. It was his own pride that killed her, underestimating the human. Searching his soul he found more than a little respect for the old doctor. That respect mutated into a different emotion when he thought of the Dutchman's great granddaughter. He smiled.

Agent Leung slowed as he approached the grinning vampire. It had picked the most obscene place for them to meet. His imagination had long ago died and graveyards were just another workplace to him, but tonight? Here? It reeked with imminent death. "Oy, vampire," he hissed, then braced himself for the scathing gaze.

"There is a nest. You will enter the offices, get what you need, while I play with them."

Leung was taken aback. He was used to taking orders from Walter in the field, but from the enemy? "How many?"

"A few," Alucard shrugged, "it's not an exact science."

Leung's anger rose, "Are you leading me into a trap?" How could they trust this creature? "Walter told you-"

"Walter's my bitch and Integra's only a child. You are left to be my plaything," he paused, savoring the sound of that for a second before he turned away. "I think that covers your fears, no?" The man couldn't speak so he went on. "Would that it were so." He looked at the Gothic structure in front of them, imagining it on fire for a second before turning back to the diminutive agent. "You are not to get yourself killed. If you want a fight, I'll oblige when we return to Hellsing." He restrained a smile as the man's pulse raced. The drop-out with an attitude and skill in martial arts... Alucard sensed Leung had matured into a drop out with chemical dependences and a serial killer's itch. Like almost all of the surviving agents, Alucard had checked him out mentally before he was brought on board. Arthur trusted the vampire on such matters. Of course, the men were unaware of him, or thought of him as a creepy child who haunted the halls now and then. His master forbade him from talking with them. All except for Walter. Walter had started the agency, in a manner of speaking. Prior to taking on the orphan, Arthur had planned to follow his father and grandfather's method of recruiting friends and various thugs into posses, doing raids and disbanding. With Walter, Arthur saw the possibilities. Now Integra would expand on that. It pleased Alucard even as it annoyed him to think of her needing more than himself.

Leung said nothing and they crossed the graveyard. Alucard turned to a shadowy fog, entering then ushering the human inside. They proceeded together toward a hallway that ran along a row of offices and from there to the main chapel. Leung watched down the hallway as the vampire opened the sanctuary doors and began his distraction by insulting the unseen enemy. With a roar of gunfire, Alucard was down. Pat's stomach sank. All talk and threats, but nothing to back it up? How typical. He worked the locks quickly, needing to get his work done as fast as he could while they congratulated themselves. Soon they'd hear his heartbeat and then he'd be toast.

The great hall was in shambles. Pews were overturned, fabric hung from the walls in shreds and blood streaked the beautiful works of stained glass. The vampires howled with laughter at their coordinated reaction. Then the corpse of the interloper began to laugh along with them. Icy tendrils of shadows crept along the aisle as the vampires fell silent; the new voice did not. "Releasing control art restrictions, level two."

Alucard intended to take his time with this lot. They couldn't kill him, he doubted they could even challenge him. That left them only the option of entertaining him. His Cassull emerged from his shadow form, ringing out as it rained holy pain on the gathered fools. They would not die quickly, that was too good for them. Alucard watched as one tried to regrow his lower legs, dragging himself by his arms to find a hiding place underneath the overturned high altar.

"Who are you?" A young female called out to him.

"Jesus," he taunted. "You get to be the money changers. Now run!" He chased her, feeling another one gather courage and remember which end of the pistol to use. Alucard took a hail of lead bullets to the back without slowing down. "Why don't you wash my feet, young one?" He moved in front of the female. She looked around, confused and angry. Perhaps she'd missed her Bible studies, he mused. He grabbed her head and pushed her down, letting her bloody tears fall on his boots before crushing her head to dust.

"What the 'effing Hell!" Another young one screamed, franticly looking for his leader, Alucard guessed that was the one hiding in the chancel, the one he was saving for last.

"Did they promise you immortality? They lied. You are trash, nothing more than scum in the baptismal font." He directed his voice to the altar, but looked at the scattered fledglings trying to regroup, five left in all. "What other lies have they told you? What have you sold your soul to? Do you even know?" Indignation seemed to rise in them, giving them renewed strength. He smiled. "By all means, come and meet your maker. I can give you peace." Without bothering to turn his head, Alucard swung his heavy gun to the right and took the chest out of one brandishing a large candle stand. "Next." He kicked over a wooden pew, tearing a chunk out with his left hand. Advancing toward a heavy male vampire who had the sense to try and start running for the open doors, Alucard allowed his familiars to attend him and pinned the idiot down. He looked into scared eyes and winked, just before driving the wood in. Though the church had been desecrated by the pack, the old wood retained enough of the prayers, said by believers through the century it had seen service, to burn as it blinded. Alucard left this one alive, his screams adding to the chaos. He stood between them and freedom. A door slammed toward the back of the altar and Alucard remembered the sacristy and hallways that sometimes lead back to the rector's office. Damn, have to cut playtime short.

Releasing the restraints on his hell hounds, Alucard's shadow selves separated. He watched with a smile as his dogs devoured the ones in the sanctuary, while he was free to listen for the heartbeat of the agent and the scrambling sounds from the loose master vampire. He patted the head of the first hound to return.

This was definitely the mother load of evidence so far. Leung had financial records, computer files and letters stuffed into his backpack and was feeling proud of the fact that he hadn't needed that monster's help after all. The gunshots, screams and growls from the sanctuary indicated that Alucard had served his purpose, at least his body had been a distraction for the beasts. No one had come after him... yet. He cursed himself for that thought as he heard a thumping noise outside a side door to the office. You're not safe until you're back at Hellsing, he reminded himself. A bit safer tonight without that vampire around, he bit back the laugh that tried to escape as he crossed the office to the main door. The thing outside the side door came crashing through, rolled and then launched itself at him, claws extended.

Leung was no easy target for the enraged vampire. Blessed bullets blew through the vampire's shoulder as he knocked Leung down and its head was thrown back by an elbow to the chin. From the knees down, his legs were not quite there, just stubs, blood and shadows. As long as he could keep the human pinned, he could get the blood he needed to regenerate. The vampire used his superior strength to maintain the upper hand, despite the fight his victim was putting up. He knew he had to succeed, he had to get nourishment before the monster arrived. He felt the ripping pain as his fledglings died and he lashed out, slicing the Leung's chest with his long nails. To his shock, the man smiled at him and threw him off with a judo roll. The smell of blood was overwhelming and the vampire flew back at him, desperate for the red nectar.

Leung took the offensive, pummeling the vampire until his hands were pinned in the iron grip of the crazed creature. The vampire bent him backwards, face straining toward the blood. Leung tried to flip, but the creature's stubby legs had become more solid and his enemy used them to sweep him down. Once again on the floor, he braced for the attack, trying to get his hands free and moving his legs to cause damage and get free. There was no way he would give up his mortality to this weak vampire. It came as a surprise, therefore, when the creature was lifted violently off of him.

Alucard grinned down at Leung, "Some help, Agent?"

Patrick Leung had seen many things in his many years as an agent for the Hellsing Organization. He liked to consider himself above the emotions that flowed through his veins and trickled between his legs. Watching the No-life King's face split open into two parts, razor sharp teeth lining the edges and seeing it rip the head nearly off of the writhing vampire, then wrap inky black tendrils of darkness around the body before devouring it? No, he'd never seen one vampire consume another. Leung considered that word for a few minutes before movement came back to his muscles. Consumed. Yes, that was what he witnessed. Alucard, his face back in place, turned to him, hand extended as if to help him up. Leung stared at the white glove, strangely clean in the bloody office. He sighed and reached for it. "I was holding my own," he choked out the words as he got to his feet. His cheeks burned with shame over losing control of himself.

"But of course," the vampire purred, reaching a hand to Leung's chest and rubbing the shallow wounds there. Fresh blood oozed past the coagulating mess. He resisted the temptation to bury his head in it and lick the agent clean. The man's sanity looked like it could only take so much. But wonderful feelings were flooding through his form at the thought of holding the human down and working his tongue gently to tease the flow of fluid to the surface. Alucard pulled his hand back, large tongue cleaning his gloved hand. Red eyes burned at the man who backed away. "Go back to Hellsing," he said, his voice revealing too much of the repressed desire. "My Master has arrived."

Leung kept his eyes on the vampire as he moved slowly to the door. He focused on his breathing, the pain lessening as he focused inward. He ran all the way back to the car.

Alucard focused inwardly as well. "Limited control release complete," he felt her presence moving closer and exited to meet her. The Bentley slowed down as Walter saw him. What a lovely machine, he thought. He'd always had a soft spot for transportation. The window lowered. "All targets have been silenced, my Master." He bowed to her.

"Agent Leung?" Walter didn't bother speaking loudly, he knew Alucard could hear him just fine.

"Shaken up, but otherwise he'll be fine. He's returning now." He looked at Integra. "Would you like a full report?" He saw how hard she was fighting the pull of sleep.

"Yes, I think that's wise," she yawned, but sat up straight. "You want to ride back?" She gestured to the wide space to her side.

Considering his current mood, he thought twice about sitting close to her. "I will meet you in your office."


	11. Chapter 11

**Youth and Innocence**

Chapter 11

Standard disclaimer: All characters belong to Kohta Hirano and his publishers. I have no stake in them.

11.

The day dawned unseen by the master of the Hellsing manor. Walter had sent word to all that Integra should be allowed to sleep. He was up as usual and seeing to things in her office. Having already sifted through the data Leung retrieved he felt that the end of the case was almost in sight. They may not be able to hand over the culprits to the Knights as he'd wanted, but at least they could show marked progress. He shook his head as a painful thought pushed faintly on his heart. "Monster," he said softly shaking his head. Last night he'd listened to Patrick use that word over and over as they returned to their rooms. Each time it was like a knife twisting. Agent Leung's event report to Integra had been brief, but he poured the truth out to Walter once they were in private.

"I can't get it out of my mind," Pat sounded miserable as he bared his soul to Walter. They spoke of addiction, both to the violence and to drugs. There was no life for him in the 'normal' world, no place else to go. Who, outside the walls of Hellsing, could understand?

I don't think I gave him any answers, Walter sighed. We are all monsters here. He shook his head, "Still, she..."

The hallway door opened and Pettrus came waltzing in, stopping suddenly when he saw Walter. They eyed each other warily. "Is not your office, Dollnez. Not yet."

With his promise to Integra, Walter was constrained to a purely defensive position. Thankfully, he wasn't physically bound by her request to him, the way Alucard would be, but it was bad enough to know how she felt. No, this wasn't the time to fight. "We had the chance to talk last night, Pettrus. Don't jump into things you don't understand. Leave it."

"Don't understand? What, I don't understand you killed Bennett? Think I don't understand you'd kill Integra? What don't I understand? Think I don't understand how you got your position? Think I don't know what you been doing, you with that monster in your room?"

Walter's fingers twitched, but there was no other indication of his feelings. Like wolf packs, the agents would scrap and fight periodically, establishing dominance and hierarchy. Usually Walter let his abilities in the field speak for him, retaining his position on top through his accomplishments. Occasionally, he had to smack someone down, but without Arthur there to back him up, it was awkward. Integra would see this as another traitorous act and he had no idea how she might react.

The two men stared, Tom taking confidence from Walter's inaction. The loose code of behavior they lived by took marks off the first one to draw weapons, so he resisted getting his knives out... yet.

"Walter, you there? Stephan here," chirped the intercom.

Neither man dropped eye contact, but Walter slid a finger over and pushed the button. "Yes."

"Ah, you got a call. Bird. On the vicar's line." The words got the attention of both men and the danger of the moment was gone. Personal battles were one thing, but they took backseat to the organizations.

"Brilliant, patch it through up here, please," Walter pulled a pen out of his pocket and Pettrus crossed the office to hand him a notepad. He acknowledged it with a muttered thanks, then put a chipper look on his face and answered the ringing phone, "Hello?"

A woman's voice cried out, "Tim, how could you?" Pettrus gave Walter a sour look and made his way out.

"Oh, Emily, I'm so sorry," he had to stop there, not sure if he was apologizing for leaving or if he'd been found out. She let out a choked sob, so he went on with a neutral tone, "I enjoyed meeting you."

"No, you... I thought we... it's no use," it took her a few more sobs to become coherent. "I cried all night, but," she said as he murmured another apology, "I'm thinking I may not come to join you," a loud nose blowing punctuated her anger.

Walter was torn. Discouraging her was good, as it meant she would live, but bad as it would take away a chance to follow her. "Oh, well." He sighed loudly and fell into character, "I won't try to change your mind, but as I recall you have some strong reasons to follow the call. And it is a calling, Emily, not everyone is invited, not everyone is worthy of becoming one of the Risen. You're a special person. Don't let your feelings about me cloud your judgment," there, almost truthful. Walter felt much like a used car salesman. He knew exactly what that felt like, having done sales as part of a case many years before, vampires in the car market. He listened to the other end. She was breathing in a staccato way. He imagined her in her untidy home, maybe sitting on the stool in the kitchen, a cup of soggy cereal waiting for her.

"Oh Tim, I don't know," she had stopped sobbing, though.

He decided to blend more truth in, "I didn't want to take advantage of you really. You are quite pretty. And I am old enough to be your father," he tried to cheer her up a bit and it seemed to work.

She sighed heavily, "I was a bit pissed," then she sounded a bit brighter, "but you're not quite that old. If you come along, why don't you get reborn along with me?"

Walter's vanity accepted her compliment, though his rational mind could've argued. As for the offer, "I'll think about that, maybe it is time." Might as well give her something positive to think on, for all the pain she seemed to have put herself through over him. "Oh, damn. I've got a consultation in five minutes; call me whenever you like." Maybe that would stop her from contacting the real cultists and finding him out, at least for a while.

"Cheers, then Father Baker. I mean Tim," she laughed lightly as they hung up.

Walter held the handset to his ear for a minute after the call, then pushed the intercom, "Draper? Did you get a clear trace?"

"Yes sir and it checks out."

"Good." He clicked the button and put down the phone, never can be too paranoid.

"Oh no, I'm late," Integra looked out the window at the bright morning sky. She counted on Mary bustling in with breakfast at the same time each day. Better ask Patel to find me an alarm clock, she thought as she brushed out her long hair. Today she was to start her Hellsing training with advanced firearms and beginning hand to hand combat. Leung had looked pretty bad last night though. It'd surprised her, actually. Her father had mentioned him by name when warning her of the agents. He was supposed to be quite tough, but didn't look it last night. He'd gotten them good information from the looks of it. She'd have a go at the files later. Maybe Leung would feel better tomorrow and they could start then. That left firearms.

Thinking about shooting made her a little nervous. Walter had made sure she could handle guns safely when she was eight. Her father enjoyed target shooting, but she really did it to be with him. It was noisy and smelly. After her mum died, he seemed to lose interest in such things and it took his death for her to see how important it was. Now she wondered if every target would have her uncle's face on it. Would she learn to love it like her father did? Whose face did he see? As she finished getting dressed, Integra realized how little she knew about her father. Every child sees their da' as some kind of hero, but hers really was. He worked hard to keep the world safe from the scourge of the undead. Still, she realized he kept his own vampire prisoner in the dungeons... Needing some form of reassurance, she went to the drawer in her father's dresser where her mother's scarves rested. Lifting them to her nose, she smelled nothing. A feeling of despair settled in her chest and she sat on the bed. The lovely scent didn't make the move from her room to her father's. She looked at the fabric in her hands, wondering if she really knew her parents at all. A knock on the door reminded her that self pity did no one any good. "Enter." She tried to smile for Mary.

"Teggy love, you already up? I was trying to let you sleep in a little. Mr. Dollnez said you'd been out late?" She fussed about with delicate china dishes and a little notebook of the day's schedule.

"Well, yes, but I've asked you before to wake me at the same time each day," she paused as an important thought struck her, "and it is I you work for, not Walter." She stood tall, he didn't get to countermand her orders!

The older woman stopped in her tracks and looked at her for a time, blinking rapidly before answering in a tight voice, "And how much longer do you think you'll be needing my services, Lady Hellsing?" Mary wished she could take those words back almost as soon as she spoke them, but there they were, standing between them. She turned and rushed from the room, still clutching the day planner in her hands.

Integra looked at the breakfast tray, but she had no stomach for it. Mary was like a mother to her, at what age do people fire their mothers? No, I'll track her down later, she shook her head and her thoughts returned to her father. Oh Father, why? So many questions started with the same words, why did he... and none of the questions had answers. The two who could likely answer them were the two she shouldn't trust, Walter and Alucard.

Integra didn't want to see Walter yet, especially if Mary had just run to him. That left the monster. She reasoned that if he were asleep, no harm would be done, but if he were awake, she'd ask him the questions that she'd been nearly bursting with. Fortified with these thoughts, she walked back to the hallway that led down. Once she'd stepped onto the first step, her plan looked a bit sketchier. The lights were dim and a feeling of fear washed over her. Each step took determination. She didn't know which of the doors was his, but decided she would start with the cell she'd found him in and work her way back up. Moving into the lower basement, her courage almost failed. This was a bad idea. There was no way she should be down here. Memories of their meeting played in her mind. Memories of killing her uncle joined them. She leaned against the cool stone and tried to fortify her spirit. It was morning, vampires powers are weaker in the day. This mansion belonged to her and she was free to move anywhere in it. In addition, he was her servant; he'd even called himself her willing slave. She shouldn't fear going to his room. But which one was it?

As she walked slowly on, she noticed a door that had new paint on it, black paint. Well, it was worth a try? Integra reached for the handle, half expecting one of the dreadful hallucinations to come into her mind. After a second of touching the metal, all she felt was a sense of relief. She giggled to herself that she was probably just opening the janitor's cupboard, but stopped laughing as the door opened slightly. Inside a small room was nothing except for a large black coffin. She stood still, unsure whether to go forward or run. As nothing bad happened, the hesitation faded and she moved into the room.

The casket had a sleek look. It appeared well cared for, gleaming even in the dim light from the corridor. She approached it, reading the words carved into the ebony wood and memorizing them to look up the meaning later. Integra was a bit afraid to touch it, but a need was building up in her. Tentatively, her hands moved to the edge of the lid. She didn't mean to open it, but it lifted so noiselessly that she was staring at him before she knew what she was doing. Integra had seen corpses before. She'd seen her mother, she'd seen her father and various of the old people who'd meant something to her family. Of course, she'd watched her uncle and the treacherous agents become corpses. Somehow, Alucard looked different. How can it be true that they are forever dead and he comes back to life every night? He looked like he was sleeping, except for the utter stillness of his body. His arms rested over his chest and his shoulder length hair spilled across a white satin pillow. He was beautiful in repose. She'd been uncomfortably aware that he was handsome, but now with his face relaxed in sleep, he looked like an angel. If he'd looked more like the monster she knew he could be, she probably wouldn't have reached her hand out to touch his face.

Integra's finger brushed his cheek, just under one closed eyelid. Cold marble was the best comparison she could think of. There was texture and a softness to the skin, but without the warmth of a living being, it was confusing to her fingertips. As surprising as the feel of his skin was her own boldness. Still, as he was her property, in a way, and as he was asleep... She ran her fingers along his face,touching every inch before tracing a line from his forehead down to his chin.

Alucard's hand shot up, instincts reacting before his brain had a chance to interpret what was happening. Rushing blood overwhelmed his hearing. His fingers wrapped around a human forearm, but were prevented from crushing it by a warning pain somewhere in his psyche. Stopping the warm, moist touch was his highest priority, then came opening his eyes to assess the situation. He pulled back his lips, tingling where her fingers had teased them, exposing fangs. Her scream tore through his mind and he abruptly stopped twisting the wrist he'd grabbed. All of his senses were again working together and the result was astonishing. She'd dared to touch him?

"Curiosity killed the cat, my Master." He tried to determine if he had hurt her or simply scared her. Considering that she was fighting with all her might, he decided she was simply startled. Alucard retained control of her wrist. There was no way out. He considered for a moment pulling her into the coffin with him, to feel her living body struggle against his was tempting though he was quite certain of retribution from the Hellsing bindings. "I assure you, there is no one to hear your screams down here," his voice dripped with venom, this was a topic he knew quite well, having screamed for more than half a century in this very room. It amused him that Walter had chosen it, a pointed reminder or a tip of the hat from one sadist to another? Regardless, it suited him. That his safety, his world had been violated by this child was unacceptable.

She was trying to calm herself, having figured out that she would pull her shoulder out of its socket before she could possibly free herself. "Get... get away, let me go," she was having trouble regulating her breathing, much less her heart rate, but he gave her points for trying. Integra saw the physical reaction he was having to her fear and lost the small amount of self control she had gathered. Her hand began to scratch at his exposed skin above his glove.

"May I point out that you are the one who has violated me?" Alucard regarded her calmly as he sat up, giving the tiniest twist to her arm just to see what her reaction would be. She stopped struggling, using her free hand to rub the shoulder of her trapped arm. There were no red warnings from his bonds and Integra hid her fear as best she could. Good. "What I would like to hear is an apology." To his amusement, she stammered, but couldn't bring herself to get the words out.

"I- I'm... no, I hardly think I need to... You're the one who... Let me go!" She pulled again, her voice getting high and shrill, "I- I order... Let go of me!" When he did, she lost her balance, landing hard on the floor and kicking her legs to push herself away from his casket. "Why?" she breathed. Earlier, she'd meant to ask a lot of questions, but only one came to mind now, why had he reacted so violently?

He stood, moving out of his bed and closer to her, hand outstretched. He questioned himself as well. Integra was growing on him, though he wasn't sure why. She refused his assistance, pushing herself up from the floor even though it was less than graceful. He regarded her before answering. "Perhaps another question is in order, my Master? What would your reaction be, waking in the night and finding my hands on your sleeping body?" His face lost its regal calmness as understanding and just a touch of a blush dawned on her. He pursed his lips considering her. "To be a true vampire," he said, walking toward and touching his coffin lovingly, "you gain much, but there are... trade offs as well." He turned and looked hard at her, "Do not touch," words failed him as a multitude of languages all failed to capture the grandeur of his final domain, his kingdom, so he settled for "my home." He smiled politely, lips closed to cover his teeth. "If you need my assistance in the day, you have only to call."

Integra didn't know what to say, she wanted to apologize, but she didn't want to show weakness. Her throbbing arm helped her retain some anger toward him. With a cheeky tone she asked, "Call? How?" She looked around the room. There were built in cabinets along one wall, a sink and a door that no doubt led to a water closet; it looked like electricity had been run to the room, although the light fixture didn't seem to work, but no phone. She saw his smile turn a bit malicious again. It was better than the patronizingly patient smile he'd had.

"You need only sing my name, Master." This was one of the many times he blessed her for her ignorance. Her knitted brow told him that she suspected he was putting her on, but she had no other guidance on the delicate matter of their mutual bondage.

"Sing?"

"Well, it's in your name, is it not?" That old Dutchman had meant it more as Hell's Gate, but as long as Alucard was going with this joke he'd enjoy it to its fullest.

But humor crept up on her face as well, "So my father locked you away to avoid having to sing for you? How very sensible." She gloated as his smile turned down just a few notches. "Well, it's been quite educational, thank you, but I must get going before Walter thinks my absence is an excuse to take over."

He chuckled to himself as she left. Yes, as much as he hated getting attached to mortals, she was growing on him.

After wandering between her office and Walter's, Integra was beginning to get worried. "Mr. Patel?" she saw the butler carrying a bundle of tablecloths in from the delivery bay.

"Yes, Miss?" He had been one of the staff that her mother had especially asked for some years ago. Integra assumed it was because he was Indian, but such a connection was lost on her. He was quiet and efficient, that was all she asked for.

"I'm looking for Mr. Dollnez, have you seen him?"

With the look typical of a grown up answering a child, he smiled, "Of course, Miss. He is waiting for you at the range. You haven't forgotten your lessons today have you?" He watched, amused, as she picked up her skirt and ran.

Truth be told, Agent Dollnez was in a chair, sleeping. He woke to the sound of her footsteps ringing down the hallway. The range was a low brick building built by her grandfather for family and friends to enjoy. Walter had plans sketched out for her approval to enlarge it for training purposes, but that would wait for another day. This morning, he'd spoken with some of the soldiers that had been recommended. Once they had background checks from military intelligence, they'd have to get serious about the transfer details. Now he stood, patiently looking over the guns he'd placed on the table. "Good morning, Lady Integra." She mumbled an apology, but he ignored it. "Did you find what you were seeking in the dungeons?"

Her eyes went wide, "You knew?" Why didn't he warn her? She rubbed her sore shoulder.

Walter nodded, "I tried to find you earlier," he allowed, "and saw the door opened. The staff do not go there, not without my knowledge." When her face began to cloud up, he went on, "Your relationship with your servants, whether Alucard or your governess, is none of my concern... unless you would care for some advice?"

Integra stood, neither nodding nor in any way affirming his question, but staying quiet long enough that Walter felt confident to go on, "Regarding your governess, do recall that she has your best interest at heart. It is rare to find the type of loyalty that she offers you. Beware your servant though, he is loyal in his own way, but never mistake that he has your interests at heart. For that matter, he may well have no heart," he searched her face and found clues there as to how the meeting with the vampire had gone. Good, he thought, so she was learning. "Shall we begin your lesson?"

Integra was grateful to change topics, "Please do." She looked over the guns, in different stages of assembly. Walter had chosen a wide variety and she hoped she wouldn't have to shoot all of them. One exceedingly large gun drew her eye and she pointed, "What's that one then?"

"Ah," Walter smiled, "Go ahead, pick it up."

She did as he said and cursed at the weight of it, her arm still hurting from Alucard, "Bloody Hell!" Her father wouldn't have approved her language, but Walter said nothing. She lifted the gun, but its barrel was too heavy to hold level, even with two hands.

"It's designed to a kick like a cannon. Imagine for a minute what an enemy would feel like facing down that barrel. Now imagine killing with it," he watched her dutifully try to lift it again.

"I can't, Un- Walter," she felt herself slipping into trusting him again. Being here with him felt good, like old times when he first taught her safety, but she shook her head. She wasn't a child anymore.

He grinned widely, "Yet you do that every time you send Alucard out. The agent wields the weapon, but you wield the agent, do you understand?" She shook her head and he waved a hand, "it will make more sense later, my Lady. You may put it down now. We're out of ammunition on that one, that's the only reason I have it, but more will be in very soon." He'd sent in a rush order days ago; obtaining the blessed silver was the only hold up. "Try one of these," he pointed to the small, but lethal guns spread across the table. Integra picked one at random. "Lovely. Now take it apart."

She looked at him blankly. It must've been four years since she'd last had to do that; considering all that had happened, it was like a lifetime, really. She shrugged and picked up the gun, looking it over carefully. It was a Colt, US Government model, but someone had etched Hellsing onto it in a lovely script. As to how to disassemble it, she was still baffled. Walter moved away from the table, sitting down in a nearby chair. He had several folders next to him and she was annoyed to see him pick one up, effectively ignoring her. Channeling her anger into the task at hand, she found the mechanism to release the clip. The metal clanged, but Walter didn't look up. When she had finally pulled apart all that she could, he stood and brought out the oils and tools so that she could clean it. "This is taking forever, Walter. I should be working," the whine in her voice was unwelcome, but there was nothing she could do about it.

"Will you say the same thing to your math tutor? Chemistry? Working with guns is every bit as important as any of your other subjects. I intend to have the agents and Alucard work with you over the next few years until the gun is an extension of your will."

The intensity in his eyes scared her slightly, but his words touched her. Surely a true enemy wouldn't bother? Unsure, she turned away from him and went about cleaning the pistol. Walter settled in to read Reynold's reports.

"Sir Hellsing?" Pettrus' voice filtered through the doorway. "Ah, there you are, sir." He ignored Walter who stood and walked to Integra. "Gentleman's here for the dogs, sir."

"Oh," she had pushed the animals out of her mind, but it would be nice to have less of their barking around the grounds. "Walter?" she turned to her teacher.

"I'll take care of this, Miss," He'd been pained to see how she was handling the assembly, but his philosophy was to let her do it completely, even wrong, before he stepped in. It was the only way to work with the Hellsings, truth be told. Hovering over her as she worked would lead to rebellion and doing it for her would lead to laziness. He watched her go, pleased with their first lesson.

They could hear the kennels well ahead of reaching them. The noise level was staggering. Every dog was raising a protest over the strange men who entered and they all had to shout over the barking and crying. Integra was shocked to see that it was Mr. Riley, the stable master who was blubbering. The other men politely ignored his grief as they counted the fox hounds and moved crates into the building. She had to stand directly in front of him to get his attention. "Pull yourself together," she shouted to be heard. She turned to the man walking toward her. "Oh. Good day Sir Bolcom," she offered her hand to him. He took it, but rather than shake it, pulled it to his lips.

"Good day, young lady," he smiled as she jerked her hand away. "Good set of dogs you have here." His voice was cracking slightly from competing with the animals. "Always enjoyed hunting with your father."

Integra wondered if he meant hunting fox or vampire, and would've asked, but this was no place for any conversation, much less about a classified activity. She wished the dogs would calm down and she put her hands over her ears. Bolcom signaled that they should walk outside to talk, but all of the dogs suddenly stopped. With the exception of a few whines here and there, they all fell silent. Most laid down; Integra thought they looked to be sulking somewhat, their eyes following the men who dropped steel crates in amazement.

Sir Bolcom chuckled, drawing her attention back to him. "So, you haven't put her away yet?" Seeing the girl's confusion he added, "sorry, put 'it' away. You'll have to forgive me, it's been a while since I had to care about the creature's mind games."

Integra tried to summon the blank face she'd seen on Walter so many times. Now was not a good time to fly into a rage and she assumed he meant the vampire. She wouldn't discuss Alucard in front of so many civilians. Pettrus stood behind her looking at the dogs, now being led into their crates for transport. At least Mr. Riley had calmed. Bolcom opened his mouth to speak, but as the stable master approached he said nothing.

"Sorry thar, Miss Hells'ng," Riley said, still wiping his eyes. "Just, so many years, ah've..." He paused, looking between them and back at the emptying kennels. He blew his nose into a checked cloth. "Yer gett'n some good hoonds, Sir," he shook Sir Bolcom outstretched hand vigorously before leaving to help load crates into the lorry. As the dogs left their home they again gave free voice to their unhappiness. The sounds carried back inside with only Integra, Pettrus and Bolcom left to hear them.

Sir Bolcom picked up where they had left off the night before, "You see this really is the best way, don't you Integra?"

"Naturally," deliberately, she misinterpreted, "I'm not fond of the dogs. Now if you'll excuse me, I have some work to see to." Turning on her heels, she and her secretary moved to the door. She heard him call her name, sounding a bit hurt.

She stopped only when he called after her, "Mind you don't grow fond of that dog you're keeping either. Nothing good will come from that." Diplomacy was not her strong suit and although Integra thought about turning back to invite him into her office where they could speak freely, her pride wouldn't let her. With Pettrus behind her, she stalked back to the mansion.

"He'll go seek out Walter, you know," Tom bent down to whisper.

Integra said nothing. She couldn't worry about that now, her mind was burning with Sir Bolcom's last words. If she wasn't growing fond of him, why did she reach out to touch him? Why did the feel of his skin please her?


	12. Chapter 12

**Youth and Innocence**

Chapter 12

Standard disclaimer: All characters belong to Kohta Hirano and his publishers. I have no stake in them.

12.

Leung continued to crush the stress ball in his right hand. He'd watched as Integra came back into the mansion. Stress? Jumping Jesus, he felt stressed. Mentally, spiritually and physically he felt like he was coming apart. There were just two things that could soothe him and he couldn't indulge in either one. With seventeen years of being clean, being straight? No, getting the monkey off his back was too hard, he wouldn't throw that out over a bloody vampire trick. He squeezed the stress ball, feeling the crunch of the filling inside and his fingers pushing through the resilient material until it finally gave way. The falling stuffing reminded him of rice and he smiled at the memory of killing a vampire who stooped to count grains from a rice bag many years ago. Legend had it that some were so obsessive they had to count every last grain. It doesn't usually work, but this one time rice saved about fifty lives.

He cursed softly as he had to pick up the mess on the hallway floor. His other worry was so troubling, there was no stress ball in the world that could stand up to it. Seventeen years ago he'd faced both of his problems, cold turkey. Arthur had helped him then. He owed so much to the Hellsings, that was where the mental anguish was coming from. She was his ideal victim. What was he doing thinking such things about the child of Arthur and Dayita? 'D' was like an angel, Leung sighed. Now she was one he supposed. If anyone deserved to be, at least. He'd never know not where he was going. Pulling on all of his self controls, he crossed the hall to Integra's office.

"Come in," Integra called to the person knocking. She felt some embarrassment as Agent Leung entered. Having never found out when their time was to be she'd sort of hoped he'd forget too. He didn't look at all like the wreck he did last night. Today he was the professional she'd always seen him as. His bald head gave him a sleek, dangerous look, but his smile tended to make her smile back. "I'm so sorry, what time were we to..."

Leung raised an eyebrow, "What time, Miss? Oh, I was told one, but no worry, boss," it was frustrating, not knowing how to address this woman/child. "We can start your class whenever you're free."

"Oh," she glanced at the clock, hating how long she'd made him wait. Her stomach rumbled. "Have you eaten?"

"Yes Miss," he lied. His stomach had been spasming since last night and he didn't dare try to put anything in it beyond water and rice. "But if you would like to get something..."

"No, no, I'm fine," without Mary to baby her, Integra thought she might just as well push on, "can we begin now? Where should we go?"

Leung smiled and rubbed his head before speaking. It was one way of pushing back his demons, "We have a practice room, you know where that is, right? There isn't a ladies locker, but we can take turns. Do you have anything to work out in?"

"Yes, I'll go get them and meet you there then!" She stood, feeling excited to finally get her hands dirty, in a manner of speaking. Much more interesting than these police reports, she thought as she tossed one back into the 'in' pile. Integra practically ran to her father's room, waving her goodbyes.

When she arrived back downstairs, Integra was surprised to bump into Mr. Draper standing just inside the doorway. "Oh, I didn't see you," she mumbled, looking around.

"Not a problem, Miss," his accent pinned him forever as a lad from Liverpool, though he'd not been back since his twenties. He cringed to think of how long ago that was now. "You looking for Pat then? He asked you to wait a bit, he's having some trouble, G.I., I'm thinking." To her blank look he added, "Gut rot? Tummy trouble."

Integra nodded tentatively at that. Her stomach was fluttery as well, but that was nerves. She pulled up Mr. Draper's file in her mind, hoping to find something to talk about. "So he asked you to tell me?" That got her a nod from the tall man. "Well, um, you've been doing switchboard for us lately?"

He pursed his lips before answering, "yeah, fair bit. Since your father- well, I am sorry about that," he didn't know how to say it and she seemed a bit put out, so he stumbled on, "well, for a while now, but I get to go out tonight." Her nod wasn't enthusiastic, but she wasn't the one who'd been answering the bloody phones for months on end. "Well, I'm pleased anyway. Reynolds is letting me tag along, not one of the big cases, but I'll pick off ghouls anytime!" He shifted his weight, feeling overly tall around such a tiny girl. "I was just here to ask Pat if he'd take over comm tonight. You know, since last night was so... he might need a break. He asked me to let you know... about his... delay."

Integra didn't know what else to say, so they both stood, looking out at the padded floor mats and avoiding eye contact in the mirrors that lined the wall. "Well, um, I did get ready a bit quickly..." There was one odd thing in his file, "so, you have a degree in theology?" She saw his face brighten a bit.

"Yeah. You know, it comes in handy now and then, more than you might expect." He smiled at her, thinking that at her age he wouldn't have even tried to chat with some doddy old man. Good breeding, he guessed. "You know, vampires don't fit easily into our typical religious view-"

"Sorry, Ma'am," Leung interrupted as he came out of the changing room. "Thanks, Stephan! Now, Miss, shall we begin?" He waved a hand to the blue mat and she dutifully moved, smiling at Draper who took that as his cue to leave. "Right, now don't go thinking we're gonna do martial arts, because we're not. I'll be teaching you self defense and then later combat. First, limber up."

Integra nodded. His style had changed, there was none of the very polite man she had seen earlier. She tried to follow him as he stretched and appreciated that he wasn't as tall as the rest of these men. He was taller than she, but maybe half a foot. "What's the difference?" She'd asked politely, but he looked insulted anyway.

"Different disciplines, Integra. One you need a proper teacher for," he'd had his family and they hadn't even been enough. As an adult he sought out schools, but none here were tough enough. He'd once considered leaving Hellsing to start his own, but that was before his problems had manifested. Now he wouldn't consider being around so many... Even if he'd restricted classes to grown men, people in England wouldn't pay to be bruised up after every session, his family's concept of conditioning, toughening. "No, don't bend your knees, more like that, yes." It helped him to think of her as another agent. He often worked and sparred with them, no trouble there. "And between self defense? Well, you try to survive one way, and try to kill with the other. They're related, of course, but still, different strategies."

She laughed, full of confidence at her ability to cheat death. "Well, I want to learn it all." She looked him in the eye, her peripheral vision catching their reflections as he faced her. In one, she saw his hand reach into his pocket, a glint of light was her only warning but she moved away as he brought the hand back up, slashing at the air.

"Good," he said softly as he crouched low, putting him directly at her level. "Now try to disarm me."

Integra tried to trust her instincts, which were telling her to run but they were in conflict with her rational mind which said he was her teacher, he wouldn't hurt her. She eyed him warily. "Is this combat or defense?" Her voice tight with tension.

Leung swallowed before answering, "Defensive. You cannot outrun me and I am armed. Now Integra, disarm me." He held his hand out farther, an awkward position designed to lure her off balance. She lunged and he was able to grab, turn and arm lock her in a split second. "You crossed in front of my body, boss. That leaves you open here," he used his knife hand to point at her jugular vein, "and here," he pointed at her chest, under the arm he was lifting, not too tightly he hoped as it was the arm she'd been shot in, "and here," her stomach this time. His small switchblade glided across her t-shirt, making her aware of how it stuck to her skin. Mary had obtained a training bra for her, but Integra didn't think she needed it yet. Watching the dagger move across her breasts, she swore she'd never go without it now.

He was sure she could feel his racing heart, but was careful to keep his hard on away from her legs. He spun her free content that she had learned something, but uncertain if it was what he'd intended. "Now, if your enemy is vampire, it'll try to move you to expose pulse points, but humans don't care. All vulnerability needs protecting. Again."

Integra was too shocked to move at first. She'd fenced competitively and only days ago she'd faced guns aimed and even one shot at her, but the danger he presented seemed to be worse. Why? Well, who used a live blade in the first class? Hellsing agents, she guessed. She took stock of their positions again. He held out his hand with the switch blade outstretched. This time she aimed a kick at the hand, but he read it easily and caught her, lifting the leg and forcing her down, his knife again tracing lines as he spoke in his controlled manner. After several more attempts she figured out that what scared her was the effort he seemed to put into staying calm. She shivered involuntarily.

"Are you all right, Lady Hellsing?" Walter's voice was a welcome addition to the room, she thought while being head locked by her instructor. Leung let her up, shifting his legs in his baggy sweats and turning to the doorway. "Agent Leung," he greeted his comrade calmly, no hint of concern in his voice, though it was there in his mind. He knew a crazed look when he saw one. He unfolded a metal chair and sat to the side. "Carry on, I can wait. We need to palaver, Patrick."

Integra let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding. Walter wouldn't let her get hurt, she thought, but then wondered where such certainty came from. She looked at the knife, glinting in the harsh light. "Again, Miss Integra," Leung instructed. She didn't want to, really. A quick look between Walter and her teacher gave nothing away on either face. Leung took his stance again, hand tantalizingly outstretched.

She should be able to get that damned knife, she chided herself, what was she afraid of? Integra crouched low, like the agent. She lunged, aiming a fist at his chest, not going for the obvious attack on his hand. His surprise may or may not have been real, she wasn't sure, but the trace of blood seeping through his shirt was. He'd been scraped up pretty bad there last night. "Oh, I didn't mean to..." she stopped at his smile. He seemed pleased at her attack and bowed to her.

"I will check your training schedule, Ma'am and see where you can fit this in amongst your classes," he was back to being her perfect employee, the gleam she'd seen in his eyes gone.

Relief flooded her. Was every man insane? She'd have to ask Mary, though that hadn't gone so well the last time they'd had "the talk." Maybe one of her friends would be able to tell her, they seemed to talk about boys incessantly. Still... they lived in another world. Would Skip be able to tell her? Could she talk to him about the craziness of the old men around her? Probably not, but thinking about him made her wonder if he was thinking about her. There was time to stop by the stables before dinner... "Thank you, Agent Leung," she said as he toweled off and chatted with Walter. She slipped out as quickly as she could, running up to her room to change.

Skip's father, Mr. Riley, was sitting out in front of the stables smoking. He stomped out his fag as she came up to the entrance. "Hallo, Lady Hellsn'g. Goin' fur a rahde?" He grinned a craggy smile at her. His cheeks were redder than normal. Blushing or was he upset about the animals?

"Well, I thought I'd stop by," she thought for a second, "to see Bennie." She passed him, her own slight blush starting. The smells of the barn greeted her. She breathed deeply, it was a soothing blend of animals, feed and human scents. It smelled of life. She'd forgotten about her father's stallion Antaka, an older horse now getting ornery. He whinnied as she passed his stall. She reached into her pocket and pulled out a carrot, it was for Bennie but she had others. She stretched her hand out to the charger.

"No!" Skip's voice startled her and the carrot fell just in front of the stall. The black stallion kicked his forelegs against the wooden gate in anger as his head arched back. "Sorry 'bout that, Miss Integger," he said, raising a hand toward the stall, where the horse continued to complain. "Whoa, thar, easy boy," he made a soft sound in his throat and the horse stomped its hooves. It echoed his noise and turned its head to the side, watching them. "He's been a bit off since, well, fer a week or so, ma'am, biting fingers an' all." Skip smoothed his unruly hair and it immediately sprang back up.

Integra stepped back, looking down the barn at Bennie's stall. "Is she ready? I could use a good run today."

"Oh aye, she's been waytn' for ya," he smiled. Integra noticed his grin was a little lopsided and decided that made it a little cute. There was a loud crash; Antaka again kicked against the wood. She backed away farther as Skip made clicking noises with his tongue. "Ah'll get 'im some treat, no worries, Miss." He put a hand on her back to lead her toward her horse.

The warmth of his hand was appealing, but she didn't think he should be so bold, so she walked a bit faster and he dropped it. "Can you please?" she asked gesturing for him to help lift the saddle off the side of the stall. Bennie was bridled up and snickered at her as she entered, rubbing her hand on the mare. With his help, she was leading the gray horse out in no time. He walked her to the ring, then leaned on the gate to watch.

"Skip!" his father's voice boomed, "Ah'm in dar office, ya need owt." She saw Skip give a wave and turn back to her as she got Bennie up to a trot. Riding felt good, like it usually did, and it wasn't at all uncomfortable to have Skip there. The barn melted away as she and the horse became one creature, her goals echoed in the animal's movements. There was joy in Bennie's response to her firm direction.

After her ride, she felt like the world made sense again. The crazy old men in her life were forgotten, at least for a few minutes, while she and Skip got Bennie settled for the evening. Her warm feeling of teamwork carried over to Skip and she didn't protest when he put his hand on the small of her back again. They walked out together, stopping in front of her father's horse was behaving now. "Ah'll take 'm out inna bit," Skip boasted. Integra wasn't sure anyone should ride the steed anymore, but he did need exercise.

"Well, I'd better get back, getting a touch hungry," her stomach reminded her with a little gurgle. She watched Skip lean forward awkwardly, his face looming in front of hers. Good Lord, was he trying to kiss her? She pulled her head back, but he had his eyes closed and kept coming closer. She felt his warm breath mixing with hers. Well, why not? She was grown up now after all. She leaned up to him and their lips touched. It wasn't unpleasant, but not the magical moment she'd heard about. His lips parted and a tongue pressed up against her lips. Integra wanted to pull away now, but he wrapped his arms around her neck. This was too gross! With his lips smashed against hers, she clenched her teeth. His eyes fluttered open and he murmured something, then closed them again giving her little mouth little kisses. She examined his far from perfect skin and compared it to the flawless white face she'd touched this morning, the lips, soft and cool. Integra imagined how they would feel against her. Skip's tongue again pushed and she thought about struggling free, she really did. Something in her body disagreed and her mouth opened for him. At that moment, Antaka reared up, crashing his hooves against his gate, smashing it to bits. The sound drew both Integra and Skip's attention, just as the massive body slammed them down. His arms released Integra quickly and she screamed, moving away from the terror of the horse stepping on the boy. His father came running full tilt, grabbing the large creature by the mane. The horse let himself be led away by the man as others came running into the barn, some with guns drawn, but a feeling in her stomach said it was too late. Integra watched Skip's blood soak into the wood flooring. She stood, a sea of calm amid the chaos of the moment, certain that something was dying inside her as Mr. Bennett's warning came back, "He's not a pet, Miss."


	13. Chapter 13

**Youth and Innocence**

Chapter 13

Standard disclaimer: All characters belong to Kohta Hirano and his publishers. I still ain't got no stake in them nor not nothing else.

13.

Mary closed the door with a muted click. Several of the staff and agents were gathered, almost standing vigil in the hallway. They all looked at her face, searching for something. "She's napping now." Mary had sat next her, patting her back for nearly an hour as Integra lay, tears leaking out now and then while Mary sang church hymns softly. "I think she'll be fine, but so many shocks," she shook her head, "it's only been a month since she came home." Her father's illness, then the unpleasantness with her uncle, Mr. Bennett's suicide and now this accident, Mary just didn't know how much one child was supposed to take? So much death wasn't what she wanted for her charge, but there was no way to protect her from the pain of life.

Walter's mind was working in another direction. He spoke in low tones, "She needs to be strong, Mary, we haven't much time." Islands had counted on him to lock Alucard up and they had to face the Knights in two days time, less now considering it was evening.

Mary looked at the other men, anger building inside her, "Now you listen, Mr. Dollnez, she's still a child! Whatever it is you need her for, you just go do it yourself. Shame on all of you!" Her courage faltered at the grim looks on the agents faces, though the young waiter and the butler, Patel, looked kindly enough. "Now everyone run along, she needs to rest a wee bit." She stared at the unmoving agents.

"We need her in her office as soon as she wakes," Walter's monocle reflected nothing of his feelings, but he would take no more lip from this woman. "She's been through a great deal Mary, and there will be much more ahead of her. She needs strength, not pity."

Mary bristled at the unspoken rebuke. Her love did not weaken the girl! "You go on, you lot. I'll send her shortly, now off with you." She turned back to Integra's room, sighing as she softly pushed the door open.

The four men walked in silence to the director's office. Pettrus opened the doors past his own desk and on into Integra's office. "Messy business," he said once they all were in.

"Right odd," Reynolds agreed, "a horse'd have to be wild with fright to do such a thing, or trained to it, I suppose..."

Walter ignored the conversation. "You'll be out tonight, Stephan?" Walter still thought of Draper as a bit of a child, though he'd served since the seventies. He was one of the few that Alucard hadn't checked out for Arthur. Still, he was a nice lad, handy with guns. Years ago Draper had suggested they use flamethrowers but the few times they'd tried in the field had been memorable disasters. He was quieter about his ideas since then. Walter could feel the younger man's excitement.

"Oh yeah, just backup duty," he looked at Reynolds who smiled back.

"No one else I'd like watching out for me, kid," Reggie wasn't looking forward to the kill, unlike the others it was just what he did. This one was easy, out of town and aside from ghouls, didn't present much worry. "We were talking earlier and we think this might be a good one to take the girl on." He looked between Tom and Walter, not sure whose approval he should get.

Neither man spoke, but a small voice chimed in, "I'd like that." Integra entered the office her usually dark skin looking so oddly pale that all the men moved toward her, ready to help if needed. "What? I'm fine. Really." She moved through them, aware of the concerned looks. "I've seen men die before, you know." The bravado was an act, but it had the intended effect, the men backed off and she sat down at her desk. Pettrus and Walter moved to opposite sides of the room and Mr. Reynolds and Stephan Draper took the seats across from her desk. "I haven't read the report for tonight, but this case seems pretty clear, right?"

Reynolds cleared his throat, "I like to think so, the set up of the house is the only worry. We don't get separated and we should be fine. Draper will keep you with him and sweep for ghouls while I try to get to the bastard's inner sanctum. He's been cagey, but this is the best intelligence on where he'll be. I'd move in the day, but he's been hopping between lairs, so we need to get there fast." He liked the spark in her eyes, but knew she didn't have the experience to be anything but a burden to Draper. Stephan had been the one that suggested it though and understood what it entailed.

"Brilliant," she sent a challenging look at Walter. The look on his face did not attempt to hide how foolish he thought this was. "Perhaps I should take a gun, too?"

Walter nodded slowly back at her, but Draper jumped in, "I'll pack several for you, ma'am." Reynolds looked a bit surprised and hoped she didn't shoot them all out of fright. "If that's a yep from you, Reggie?" Reynolds shifted in his seat, looking at the floor now. As for himself, he wouldn't go out unarmed, but a child?

Surprisingly, it was Walter who came to support her, "She's capable with a gun, Reggie. If she has to go out, I'd like her armed." He kept a scowl on his face, but her smile did his heart good. Reynolds held his hands up, shrugging.

"It should be an easy job, ma'am, that's what I'm thinking. Be down in the garage in a half hour. Dress for running, if you don't mind, my Lady," he might regret this, he thought, but she was the one who wanted to get experience. He nudged Draper with his elbow and they moved to the door. Reynolds thought Tom looked like the cat that ate the canary and figured it must be over how annoyed Dollnez was that the girl was going out without him. Reynolds smiled to himself as well. It's not often you pulled something like that on the man Arthur Hellsing used to call the "Angel of Death."

Walter leaned against the wall, watching Integra. The mood inside the office was quite somber. Her eyes held such pain, Walter felt like he was looking into her fathers, many years ago. "It's my fault," she managed to whisper.

Walter turned to the man across the room, "Pettrus, get out." The large man stared hard at him, but his look was met by a calm certainty.

"Dollnez, I don't think you-"

"Please, Tom," Integra's voice sounded almost defeated; he hesitated.

"I'm sure Lady Hellsing hasn't eaten today, Tom, why don't you get her a bite to take with her?" Walter thanked the years he'd had to work on diplomatic skills while managing her father's affairs. Finally the secretary moved, still giving Walter dirty looks as he exited.

As soon as the door closed, Walter tried to console her, "You mustn't blame yourself." He crossed the office to stand next to her, but she had turned inward, seeming not to notice. "Alucard-"

"No! He isn't to blame," she looked up at him, as if willing her words to be true. "Mr. Riley said it, horses can get very aggressive and have been known to..." her words petered out. Walter wasn't the one she needed to convince.

He looked away. The drama of youth, he thought. "Miss, there are," he chose his words carefully, "certain... punishments available, should you... decide to." He left it at that, the look on her face was enough. "He must be controlled, Integra."

That sank in, but she still couldn't be certain it was anything more than... It had been daylight after all. No, it was her fault Skip died. If she hadn't kissed him... she hadn't told a soul about that. "I take responsibility, Walter. Please see to Mr. Riley and set him up comfortably. And," she took a shaky breath, "And we need to get rid of the horses." Tears welled up in her eyes, but she wouldn't give vent to them.

Walter crouched down, despite the soft complaints of his knees, so that his eyes were level with hers, "Please Integra, you can't take the blame," he touched her hair as she moved her head to his shoulder. Walter embraced her, his arms circling her shoulders, wishing his strength could help her. Integra forced herself to keep from crying. There will be more trials, she thought, I've just got to make it through this. At the point where awkwardness set in, she pulled away, wiping at her nose. Walter said nothing, handing her his handkerchief.

"Thank you, Walter," she didn't want to meet his eyes, so she looked at the top file. "Do you really think it's a bad idea, me going out?" She heard him sigh as he stood.

"I don't want you getting hurt. Reynolds and Draper are good men, but Reggie doesn't stop to think of danger and Draper, well, he's not the best in a tight spot. I'd like to come to make-" the sound of the intercom startled them both.

"Walter? It's your bird and she sounds mad, man," Leung's voice informed them.

Integra clicked the button, "Route it up." She looked at Walter as the phone rang.

"Father Baker here," he didn't try for a chipper voice, there was no need.

"Oh is it? Hell-thing or something is more like!" At least it was her voice and she was still alive.

"Ah, Emily," he felt a relief that he didn't need the character of the vicar anymore. "They haven't murdered you yet, then?"

"Murder? I'd like to kill you is what I'd like. How dare you! Who the Hell are you?" Emily's question brought a smile to Walter's lips, but he remained silent. They only needed another minute to be certain of a trace and he was sure she could vent at him for quite a while. "I can't believe you lied to me! Do you think you're some kind of cop or something? I thought I meant something to you! That you cared for me... Well I'm going through with this, damn you! I don't care if you're not!"

"They haven't told you what it entails have they? They will drain your blood and infect you with foul vampyric blood. Your soul will be forever damned." He was holding the handset so that Integra could hear as well and she raised an eyebrow at him. Walter shrugged, the woman seemed too shocked to speak, "Emily, dear, could I speak to the vampires there with you?"

"The what? Don't be-" There was a gasp and then the sound of the phone being dropped and picked up.

"Hellsing? I thought he was dead. What could Hellsing want with a good church-going girl?" The voice was full of humor and lies. "Please don't contact this poor child again." There was a click and Walter slammed down his own line.

"Pat?" he asked the intercom.

"No could do this time." Leung wasn't slow at this sort of thing so Walter wondered why Draper was able to get traces faster?

"Thanks anyway, Pat. I doubt she'll call back, but be on the alert. I'll need to track her, see where they take her. Be ready to run tonight, please. I'll need you with me more than here." He turned to Integra, hoping not to see any reproach. Thankfully, she seemed to be approve. "If you don't mind, my Lady," he added for good measure, having already disconnected with Leung.

"I'll go change," Integra felt a mix of emotions washing over her as she stood and she wasn't sure what to do with any of them. He probably could run Hellsing better than she. "Thank you," she mumbled as she left.

By the time they passed through Sudbury, Integra had eaten and was being filled in on the gossip between Pettrus and Walter. "He kept taking all the birds Tom brought back, thought it was a lark, really. It's been how many years now and old Pettrus can't forgive 'em." Draper seemed to be the calmer of the two as Reggie kept having to stop laughing in order to drive.

Reynolds egged Draper on, "Tell her about the time he walked in on it, that was a month of watching his back with Tom, I'll tell you that! In flagrante delicto!"

Stephan blushed, "She's a bit young, Reg," but his words had no effect on the other man.

"Old man should've known to lock his own door, but I think he was wanting Pettrus to know. Tom never brought a girl back though, not after that one!"

"Mind you, Miss," Draper cut in, "Things were a bit different here then. That was before your mum."

Integra thought how difficult it must've been for these men, living their whole lives together, cut off from the world in some ways. She tried to laugh at the right times, but theirs was a world she didn't think she could ever understand. She sipped tea from her thermos and almost breathed it through her nose when Draper asked, "So tell us about your Alucard, then." He looked at her expectantly and she saw Reynolds looking in the rear view as well. When she didn't answer right away, Draper cleared his throat, "Well, that is, Leung said he wasn't, you know, a trash vamp or anything."

"No," she said slowly, "I don't think he could be called that." An idea struck her, "You know the book Dracula?"

Draper laughed, but Reynolds chimed in, "Your grandfather said that his father used it as a teaching aid, going to educate the masses about the danger until the King put the squeeze on it and made his group classified. This was early on, right?"

She nodded, "He was also able to harness... a very powerful vampire, to bind him. He was trying to do good, I think. That was what Walter told me."

"Ah, I get it," said Draper, "so he wanted a good vampire? Turning around the name of his fictional vampire like he was turning around the beast?"

"Well," she was impressed, "yes, something like that."

"So what are his powers? What forms can he take? We've seen some pretty amazing vampires in our day, Miss. I wonder if yours can do the bats thing?"

Integra shifted uncomfortably in the sedan's backseat. Draper was oblivious and rattled off some of the things he'd seen in his years of vampire hunting. She was saved having to answer by Reggie announcing that they were near. The fields had grown in size as they passed through the small towns of Cavendish and Clare. Both men seemed to be transforming. Reynolds face became like stone and Draper lost his chatty nature, the look in his eyes hardening. Integra tried to follow suit, taking this moment quite seriously. They parked a block away from the gated home. She saw white shapes in the field, sheep she assumed, but they didn't move much in the night. The men did not speak until they pulled two weapon bags out of the boot. Integra looked to Draper for her gun, but he settled his bag on his shoulder and signaled for her to follow. She did and he leaned down to whisper in her ear, "Stay back, away from Reynolds. When he gets, you know, he's a bit wild with that axe. When we get in, you and I will drop back a bit, safer that way."

Reynolds motioned for them to keep up as they came up to the fence. He clipped a small hole and they combat crawled between the small opening and the wet grass. Reynolds said in a low voice, "Stay close, Miss."

She looked to Mr. Draper who winked at her, so she nodded but was a bit unsure who she was agreeing to. They moved as quietly as possible across the large lawn, using scattered hedges as regrouping locations. They were almost to the back of the house before the first ghoul was aware of them. As Draper had said, Reggie did swing his weapon wide and made quick work of the zombie. She wasn't prepared for the stench of the decayed flesh flying over her, but handled herself well according to the supportive looks from the men.

Inside the darkened back hall, Stephan Draper pulled out his rifle and handed Integra a small caliber pistol. It was lighter than the Colt Walter had let her work with that day. She appreciated that as her arm was still sore and now her back was hurting, from tensing up in the barn she imagined. The men used a sign language of sorts to plan out directions.

"Let's hang back a bit here," he whispered. "He'll clear a path, we'll take clean up, keeping anyone from his back." Not daring to speak, she gave him a hand sign to indicate understanding. Another ghoul attacked Reggie as he moved toward a staircase in front of them so Integra took aim. Stephan signaled her to put it down and he plugged a shot through the creature's head. She shook her head, but his face was stern and brooked no argument. Reynolds made a hand sign that Integra thought meant come up, but Draper held her back. "Just a minute, Miss," he leaned down to her, "While we wait, what else can you tell me about your vampire?"

Integra was taken aback. She whispered, "I thought we were supposed to be quiet?"

His soft laugh wasn't echoed in his eyes. "I was wondering about his religion especially. Did you know that some vampires aren't afraid of crosses? They still burn, but there's no fear." He kept eye contact with her, watching the confusion grow behind her large glasses. "Doesn't that raise more questions?" They heard the sounds of gunfire from the rooms above, but he reached down and held her shoulder. "He's doing fine, Miss, he doesn't want us messing things up."

Integra tried to pull her arm free. Why did everyone pick on the hurt one? Alucard hadn't been far from her mind all night but she didn't want to discuss him. She thought of her conflicted feelings as she tried to free her arm... again. Mr. Draper wouldn't release her. She looked up at his face and felt fear churn in the pit of her stomach. He brought a small Browning revolver out of his jacket and pointed it at her. Quickly, she raised her own gun, straight at his grinning face. "What are you playing at, Agent?" She was proud that her voice held none of the feelings that pounded in her chest.

"Oh, Miss, don't be silly," his tone was still soft, but his words were made of steel, "would I give you ammo if I was going to kill you?" He watched as her mind raced. More gunshots rang upstairs. "We don't need any more Hellsing involvement, even if it's from a kid."

"Reynolds!" she called, forgetting about any need for secrecy. "REYNOLDS!"

Draper cocked his head, listening for shots that didn't ring out. He smiled and shook her shoulder, "I think we're going according to plan tonight." A scraping sound drew his eyes upwards as a tall female vampire appeared over the stair rail, dragging Reynolds prone body behind her.

"Good job, pet," she blew a kiss to Draper.


	14. Chapter 14

**Youth and Innocence**

Chapter 14

Standard disclaimer: All characters belong to Kohta Hirano and his publishers and more power to them. I have no stake in Hellsing or Dawn.

14.

Given a choice between the two monsters, Walter would've chosen Alucard. He and Leung rode in near silence. Even in a brotherhood of killers, there were some things too dark, too dirty to share. He wished he hadn't pushed the man, pushed him into a confession that Walter didn't want to hear, didn't want to make hard decisions about. His priority was to keep Integra safe. Dammit! He'd always liked Pat.

"She's on the move again. East." The man Walter had thought he'd known told him in a soft voice.

Walter turned the car, following the signal despite their inability to get visual confirmation. It was hard to see this as anything except a trap, a set up. He wished he still smoked. Double damn. "Pat, could you radio back to Pettrus and see if Reynolds has checked in? We could use help if they're on their way back." He saw Leung look to him briefly, but neither man wanted eye contact.

They used government repeaters, but still coded all messages to ensure security. Leung preferred the newer communications systems, but as clumsy as this was, he was able to get through whenever he needed to. Packet systems, cellular and satellite transmissions all held promise, but Hellsing was at the mercy of the Queen when it came to updating large systems. "Negative," he reported and went back to scouting. The chill from Walter was to be expected. He never thought the other men could understand, never tried to communicate or reach out to anyone. Well, Arthur of course, he'd understood. Sent the agent off for help where Leung learned the tools he needed to get by. Meditation was key, but there were other ways to channel his needs. Healthy ways, like visualizing his enemies as girls just on the cusp of womanhood. Dear God, he prayed, let there be a lot of impure souls tonight, Amen! The uncomfortable silence settled back down between them until the next directional change. Finally Leung whispered handing over the night vision binoculars, "Visual. There she is," pointing to three shapes still a ways off along the sidewalk. The city was still active, but on a Sunday night most businesses were long since closed and many streets were dark.

Walter gripped the wheel, face blank. They passed the trio and pulled into a space once he felt they were out of range. He thought she looked frightened. Her own selfishness had gotten her into this trouble. If her life could be spared, fine. But he reminded himself, that wasn't the objective. He wanted to take down the vampires in charge. Alucard had rattled them, that much was clear. Walter's mood shifted, what was he going to do about that bastard vampire? Punishment needed to be swift and certain or he would have the run of the mansion, but she was too upset to think clearly about it. Alucard hadn't admitted guilt and was angered when Walter told him not to hunt tonight. He needed Integra to be strong, dammit. "What's your take, Pat?"

"The silver haired one's definitely vamp, the dark one looks human, but could just be young, hard to tell. Bird's one stop from screaming," he swallowed, mouth dry. This was the worst part of a mission, he thought, when you have visual, but can't attack. To get the best chance at the top members of the ring, they had to let the trap set.

"Not sure what we've got here, Pat," Walter's voice broke the unease of the moment. "But if it turns out to be major... Well, you're a hell of a fighter."

"Ah, shut up Old Man," he replied fondly, "you're making me blush. I'll keep the ghouls off your arse." At least Walter was able to look at him again, he thought.

"Right then, let's take out the trash." Both men grinned wickedly before falling silent, watching the three figures go into a building. After an exterior search, they followed.

Integra winced in sympathy as Reynolds was dragged down the staircase without dignity. He wasn't a small man, but looked like a rag doll the way she swung him as the vampire swayed toward Draper. "So this is the child?" the vampire asked as she blew him a kiss.

Integra tried to imagine the scene from Agent Leung's perspective. Draper was armed with two weapons, a rifle and pistol. The rifle was a long range threat and required two hands, so her real worry was his revolver. The vampire was an all around worry.

He jerked her shoulder, pushing Integra toward the vampire, then letting her go. "Yeah, no trouble, though."

Integra swung around, her knee connecting with his groin. Her handgun went a bit wild, but she managed to pistol whip the tall man's chin as he doubled over. Without staying to see the effect, she ran back the way they'd come. Her useless pistol clattered along the marble floor. Laughter followed her and she found herself stopped by the female vampire's hand on her neck.

"Nice move lambkin," she cooed at Integra. Integra was shaken lightly by the neck as the vampire raised her off the floor to pull her around and look into her eyes. "You're just a bundle of trouble, aren't you?"

"Let me go! I order you! Put me down!" Her protestations earned her more laughter. Vampires must believe all that self help crap about the healing power of laughter, she thought. Her kicks had almost no force as her feet were still off the ground. Draper was now visible, approaching them with a look that removed any good feelings she'd ever had about him. He looked more like a character actor, the sort with the drooping nose or bulging eyes, never the lead male but always kept busy playing henchmen. It didn't seem like he was playing now. His Browning .22 looked a lot bigger as it was pointed at her head.

"He wants her dead, Cherry." Integra heard the safety release.

"Back off Stephan, she's my kill," the vampire turned her head and smiled a crooked grin at the agent. He hesitated, but didn't lower the gun. Integra still dangled, the hands on her throat hadn't tightened but she felt the power that surged through the vampire and knew she could be easily crushed. She stopped swinging her legs and let her own hands rest on the vampire's forearms, easing the pain and saving her strength.

"Who?" she squeaked, "Walter?"

Her enemies looked at each other for a second and apparently came to some understanding as Draper lowered his gun and crossed his arms as he backed up saying, "Don't make me laugh, girl. Walter will be floating in the River Cam by morning."

"She has spunk, Stephan. If she weren't so young, I'd take her," the female looked at Integra's eyes meeting an icy gaze that she wouldn't have expected from a thirteen year old. She finally set her down, cool hands still clamped around the girl's throat. "You'll find, though, that we're not the weak sort of vampires you can control." She brought her face closer to Integra's, sniffing the blood that was beginning to calm down, her heart rate losing the panicked pace it had kept up.

"Perhaps it's time to test that," Integra said with all the calm she could muster. She felt a sensation like she'd felt when Alucard's voice was in her mind, but there was no sound. Was it him? Why wouldn't he help her?

The vampire, Cherry he'd called her, glanced quickly at Draper. "He's back at your place, right?"

"That's right, before we left,Walter said it was staying in tonight." He smiled at Integra, "Your pet is across London right about now."

Integra felt panic building, Alucard had told her to call him, had teased her about singing, but hadn't explained anything else. What should she do? A fist to her sternum took that worry away from Integra as she flew across the floor and landed with a crack against the wood paneled wall. When her breath finally returned, she looked up to see the vampire walking toward her with a feral grin.

"I want more fear from you, child," she raised Integra up by her shoulders, shaking her violently and eliciting a soft cry that became a scream.

The scream grew as the vampire laughed. It began to take on shaped sounds, almost like vowels and consonants until, as it grew, it sounded like a name, "Alucard!" She began to scream it over and over though the shaking had stopped. Cherry was watching instead of hurting her now, confused as the room began to fill with red mist.

Alucard felt joyous as he pulled on his powers, "Releasing control art restriction level three, level two." He formed behind the young vampire. She'd been an undead for as long as he'd been imprisoned, yet she was a pale imitation of a true vampire. She used her eyes to look for him in the inky shadows he created. Pity. Alucard's gloved hands appeared, pulling her face to where his body emerged from the darkness. "Are you so low that you hit this child?" He felt the agent behind him pull up his rifle and take aim close to Alucard's head. Why not? He let the holy silver imbued projectile hit full force. The pain, such as it was, delighted him, but not nearly as much as the cries it drew from Integra to see her protector fall.

Draper walked over to the body, kicking it with one Hellsing issued boot. "You just can't get good help, Integra," he gloated, shifting so his handgun was aimed at her again. "Truth be told I was getting worried what with this dragging on and all, but it's more fun this way little girl." He walked away from the body, oblivious to the essences coiling about the floor. "Don't you want to play with her any more, darling?" he turned to Cherry stunned by her lack of humor.

She was staring at Alucard's body, an expression of fear on her face. "He's... no, impossible," she shook her head, the humans in the room were nothing to her, even her accomplice was worth sacrificing. She'd taken him after a raid on a nest she'd been resting at a year ago. He was ripe with self esteem issues, and she seduced him with a gun to her chest. The promise of joining her as a vampire kept him in the fold, but she was just playing him; he was such a fool. She'd become a part of the cult conspiracy at the time, and he fed them theological arguments and practical information about the Convention of Twelve and Hellsing. Cherry had laughed with him at the notion of Hellsing hiding a cheap vampire. Now she saw the evidence right in front of her and was smart enough to understand. This creature must be holding the girl in thrall, not the other way around. He resumed his form as she grabbed at Integra. "Don't! Take them, but don't touch me," she shouted at his mocking visage.

"What the Hell? Hey Cherry can you do that thing too?" Draper was clearly impressed even as he reloaded his rifle.

"Master, your orders?" Alucard stared directly into Integra's eyes, ignoring the lesser creatures for the time being.

"Help me!" She thought he looked almost disappointed, so she added, "kill her." The hold on her tightened; there seemed to be fear in this vampire, fear of Alucard, fear of his power.

"If you come one step closer, I'll tear her throat out," Cherry moved Integra, bringing her closer to the fangs.

Draper aimed his rifle at Alucard again. "Can you do that thing again, demon?"

Alucard kept his eyes on Integra, "Naturally I will kill her, my Master, but what of the one who is under my protection? Your agent?" His white gloved hand gestured with a twist and the rifle flew from Draper's hand, clattering across the marble floor. "Don't you recall your grand speech?"

"She'll be infected and become my slave. Stop! Don't come any closer unless you want her dead!" Cherry's voice had become more and more desperate, despite the fact that Alucard hadn't moved. She wrenched one of Integra's arms hard behind her back. "Maybe she'll become a ghoul, if you've been a naughty boy."

Integra fought back a whimper and kept her eyes locked to Alucard's. She saw a ghost of a smile on his lips. "No, the order is changed. Servant, kill them both. He is no longer Hellsing's," she tried to keep the cry of pain from her voice as her arm was again twisted, a crunching sound precipitated blinding pain, "Quickly, dammit!" The small smile she thought she'd seen grew as her vision went dark.

"No!" Cherry knew the end was coming, but instead of running she decided to take the girl down with her. She lifted her, intending to snap the child's spine across her knee and sink her teeth into the soft neck. Faster than she could execute her idea, black tendrils were twisting around her captive and her own body. This she could understand, this was something she could fight. Cherry let her powers collect about her and pulled up a gray fog. She heard a hissing laugh and Alucard's hand reached inside the gray shadow cloud pulling her head out. "Stop!" she screamed, "Why are you doing this? We can work together. Kill them, but let me go and my master will reward you. If you're bound to this child, I'll kill her for you, but let's-," a strangled cry ended her offer as rows of shark like teeth took off her face, tearing through her head with angry snaps.

Stunned by the sight, Draper almost lowered his .22, but thrust grief from his mind as the monster turned to look at him, mouth dripping with dark blood, cartilage and brain matter. Integra was still entwined in the black tendrils that trailed from the creature, but she was rousing and fought at the silky caresses. Draper changed his aim, taking a bead on her. As he pulled the trigger, an axe burst through his head, splitting his body down to the collar bone. Reynolds stood on shaking legs before falling forward onto the carcass of his fellow agent, the man he'd once thought of as a friend. Alucard shielded Integra from the shot, but the blackened flesh sizzled and retracted into the mass of shadows. He freed her from his protection and watched with some interest as his flesh fought the holy silver until it formed a cover, becoming a minor leg wound. To heal faster he'd need fresh blood, and there was plenty of that on the cool floor. He moved to the agents' bodies which lay in a spreading pool and bent his head down, large tongue lolling out to lap up the healing fluid.

"NO!"

Alucard hesitated, moving one eye to look at the child through a curtain of living hair. She stood now, arms akimbo, looking like a stern school teacher with an errant pupil. He could delve into her mind he supposed, but she was full of surprises today and his existence was generally lacking in that commodity, so he waited for her to speak.

"I have decided on your punishment," she tried to keep her voice level, her tone firm and her legs from failing her. "You shall only drink blood that Hellsing provides you." She watched eyes widen and nostrils flare on a face that spoke of carnage.

A dangerous moment passed before he spoke, "This is my reward for saving you?"

"You need no reward for saving me Alucard. That is your job is it not?" She put her hurt hand behind her and the other held onto a shelf for dear life as she went on, "What you need is to learn your place. A boy died tonight. He didn't deserve that! His only crime-"

Alucard tried hard to bite back his anger. "An unfortunate accident, as I heard.," He interrupted her, standing at his full height and staring her down.

She looked into his wild crimson eyes, not flinching. "That is how we will speak of it, but you shan't step out of line again. Do you understand me?"

He bowed to her, listening to the sound of her heart pumping strong, sweet blood, "My Master." He watched her fight the light headed feeling resulting from so much adrenaline in her blood. Adrenaline was one of a number of spices that he loved to taste, fresh from a young vein. He moved his hands behind his back to conceal the red glow of the symbols there.

"Reynolds!" She moved to the entwined bodies, rolling the large man to his back despite the pain she felt. She looked up at Alucard who shrugged his shoulders.

"Yes, but barely." he answered the question in her mind. "He will die soon as well," he wondered at her concern, at the tears that welled in her eyes.

"What should I do?" She couldn't drive yet, although it looked easy enough really.

"Contact Walter and call for an ambulance, I'd expect," his voice showed his lack of interest in the topic, but her face lit up and his eyes were drawn quickly back to hers.

"Walter. Draper said something about Walter." She had a very good memory, but the evening's events had blurred together after Reynolds went upstairs, "He's in a trap! Somewhere along the River Cam. Can you find him?"

There were few he had ever considered to be friends, in any part of his existence. In his time with Hellsing, only Walter had seen him as he truly was, the full monster that he was inside and out. Yet it was Walter who gave him friendship. "Yes, my Master. If that is your order?" Another thought occurred to him, "Or I could save this agent's life? Carry him to a hospital? I can't do both." He could of course, but it would be far more interesting to see what she would do. He kept his face grave, as if he were concerned.

Integra needed no time to think, "Save Walter, Alucard. I'll see to Reynolds as best I can, but please, save Walter." With a grin worthy of the Cheshire cat, he was gone.


	15. Chapter 15

**Youth and Innocence**

Chapter 15

Standard disclaimer: All characters belong to Kohta Hirano and his publishers and more power to them. I have no stake in Hellsing or Dawn or any of his Hentai stuff.

15.

Walter was reminded of the ancient Roman gladiators, forced to fight to the death for the amusement of citizens who packed the stadiums. He and Arthur had, in recent years, many long conversations about history and this was one theme they both enjoyed. The parallels between the agents who willingly put their lives on the line and the well trained, but doomed men who chanted "We who are about to die salute you," were multifaceted. Thanks to the twisted souls who arranged this trap, the parallels were more apparent to Walter than usual.

Ghouls seemed to keep pouring into the old nightclub. The "circus" wasn't packed with Romans tonight but there were seven vampires visible on the balcony level that ringed the dance floor. Stairs led up to where there had once been bars for the non-dancers. No doubt the ones up there now were directing their ghouls, trying to move them along like chess pieces and watching as they were ripped apart by wires, knives and blessed bullets. He could hear them cheer or argue with each other as there were periodic dips in the battle sounds on the floor. What he wanted most was to get to the stairs that led backstage. Vampires, with their flair for drama, would likely be hiding behind the closed black curtain. He hoped that was where he'd find Emily and any other of tonight's victims. As he was calculating his killing radius, Walter did a rough estimate of the number of ghouls relative to recent missing persons reports. Not everyone who disappears is reported, of course, and not every missing person turns up a ghoul, but these vampires must've been busy like bunnies. Zombie lifespans were short, probably near three months before they literally rot away. Considering the fifty or so they'd taken out in Scotland, disappearances far outnumbered reported cases. There was a recent bus holiday that went missing near Bath, but that was the only large scale missing persons report in the last month. Then again, this conspiracy held an unknown number of churches in its clutches. A person missing from each could add up right quick while avoiding notice. He made a note to check that theory if he survived.

Watching Dollnez perform his dance of death, Leung felt a new surge of respect for the old rake. A solid kick placed one of the ghouls attacking him into the way of Dollnez's retracting wires and he saw Walter's killer smile flash. "We keeping count?" He shouted at the Trash man, but his words were eaten up in the torrent of moans and yells. Didn't matter anyway Pat grinned, Walter kept count all the time. Hell, he probably knew his lifetime kills if anyone cared to ask. Years ago one of the agents started writing up kills, mainly to tease Walter. They all inflated their numbers versus the actual number on the reports, but it didn't matter, he'd take it seriously and congratulate whoever had the highest number that month. Finally they stopped, it got depressing. None of them ever got close to his count. Leung's attention was brought back to the present with another splattering of ghoul parts across his chest as one of his shots missed the heart of an oncoming ghoul. He slit the charging corpse open with one hand, while putting a round through its temple with the other. The ghouls began a more coordinated assault, apparently designed to push them back under the left rear balcony. He'd been trying to clear a pocket for Walter to run through, but went back to plan B and scattered his shots for maximum damage across the room. Switching out magazines on his modified Glock .45 made him vulnerable, so he signaled to Walter then jumped on the abandoned bar. It was from this vantage point that he saw the rocket-propelled grenade launcher.

The silver haired vampire they'd seen earlier stood dressed in white church vestments in front of the darkened stage, taking aim in the sights of the shoulder mounted RPG. How accurate do you have to be with a rocket launcher anyway? Leung was able to shout exactly two words before the area they were in became a flaming mess and, in retrospect he wished it had been something less profane. Perhaps something useful, like "Run away!" or "Incoming fire!" but at least he lived to regret his choice. He'd lost sight of Walter in the confusion of flaming ghouls, falling wood and steel supports. "Walter!" Though there was sound all around him Leung could barely hear anything, even his own screams were muffled by the damage to his auditory system. In the past, vampires were reluctant to use explosives and weapons that spread fire owing to the flammability of undead flesh, so they didn't expected it, never took precautions. Nothing had seemed normal to Leung since Arthur died. He felt his back muscles shiver and he shook his head, trying to get his ears to work again. The fire did succeed in pushing back the tide of ghouls and for that he was grateful. With his gun reloaded he crouched low, moving along the wreckage as he tried to find the vamp that took out Dollnez. He had the taste of failure in his mouth, but there was still a mission to complete.

Over half a century before he'd put his plan into motion, the vampire king Dracula became interested in the spreading nation of Great Britain. The conflicts in the New World held little interest, but the later wars with Napoleon did ignite his imagination. He watched and encouraged the chaos that consumed Europe during that time. England had flexed its might on the continent before, but this was done with a different tone. They took the role of world protector and they took it very seriously. For his own reasons, he began to take the England equally serious. With decades to study and plan, he learned the language and obtained maps. It was fairly easy therefore, to turn his masses to the west and fly back toward the city of Cambridge. The River Cam is generally agreed to be a thirteen mile stretch of river, though in his lifetime it had been longer. Since Alucard was going on a fragment of Integra's memory of a cryptic statement, he thought he'd start his search in Cambridge where he and Walter had recently traveled. Owing to the perversities of the vampire psyche, he felt confident the cultists would be either in the vicinity of Jesus Green or near the college's church. The Angel of Death in a trap? Pity the ones who catch him, he thought.

The young vampire laughed at the fool charging him. He wasn't very powerful yet but still many times stronger than he'd been as a living man and he was sure he'd been stronger than this old man then. He'd get praises and maybe promoted within the brethren when he brought the body back, minus some blood of course. Confusion crossed his face as he found himself ensnared in wires that burned as they cut through his skin. Too late he reached for the handgun in his waistband. The old man didn't slow down as he charged through the dust cloud on his way backstage.

The element of surprise was the one thing they had lost by walking into a known trap, but now the vampires had given it back to them. Well, he corrected himself, back to him. Pity about Pat. Walter hadn't seen the explosive coming, but was able to dive out of the way due to Leung's warning. Thanks to the confusion, he'd made some headway toward his goal.

A shambling mass of anger came up from behind Walter, tackling him. The inhuman strength in its arms served to break several of the ribs that had finally healed. He cried out in pain and struggled to flip the ghoul over before it could get its teeth around his neck. He owed thanks to his partner for teaching him how to find leverage in such a situation. He also owed desperation for the burst of strength that made it possible. The ghoul was slow to respond to the change in perspective allowing Walter to break its grasp. So much for surprise, he thought as he put a round through the zombie's head. Its vampire master would be aware of him now. He found a narrow staircase and followed it up.

Halfway up he held his side and promised himself that once he got Integra up and running as director he'd retire. With his retirement money plus his savings he could get a nice place, maybe up in the Lakes and tinker about in an old shed fixing things. He laughed at himself and started up again. No, a nice retirement wasn't in the cards for him. He knew too much. Maybe she'd let him stay and train the new kids? Maybe not, he sighed as he reached the top.

Drawn by the smell of dark magic, Alucard stood on the green shore of the river. He could cross moving water, but wondered why the young creatures here chose a location so near a waterway? There were six vampires herding four humans who huddled together out of fear on this warm night. The humans were wet, though their white robes seemed dry. He presented himself in front of strange group. "What have we here?"

The vampires had been focused on getting the people moving but stopped short when they saw him. He made sure they got a full view of his fangs. "Oh, good," said a young one, a leader perhaps? "You're from the church? Did we get those commando blokes yet? Are we to bring this lot back or should we do it here? We put up the screens and baptized the initiates, just like they told us."

Alucard let his grin widen. "By all means, let's hurry back."

The one who had spoken before seemed relieved, "Good. I didn't want to wait too long, but if we did it out here, we'd have to carry these bodies, see?" The bodies in question looked more frightened by the second.

Alucard recognized the scent of Walter's contact, the woman who had wanted to conquer death. It looked like she'd changed her mind. They all had now that the reality was around them; pushing them along like cattle. He walked with them for a minute until they were clearly heading toward a road, then he stopped suddenly. "Can you smell that?"

The vampires stopped, humans knocking into their solid bodies and whimpering softly. Amid the sounds of confusion and questions directed toward him he detected suspicion. The young one who fancied himself in charge was accustomed to the oddities of the elder vampires, so he hushed the others and asked politely, "What do you smell, sir?"

"Fear," Alucard looked at them all seriously, as if trying to teach them something. The young vampires became excited and he reflected that feeling back at them until they all entered a light stage of blood lust. "They fear death, but what of you? What does the Risen fear?" He let his shadows begin to play among them, slowly working the humans away from the vampires. The shadows took on demonic forms with his eyes and features. The Hellsings held the keys to his power and the fullness of it was locked away from him but, if he managed it properly, he could pull on hints of it. This he did under the cover of the cultists masking spell.

Some of the young ones began to understand, "What's, what are you doing?" one asked before Alucard's white glove tore through his chest, ripping the deadened heart out and causing the body to collapse into dust. More of his shadow demons sprouted long arms with gloved hands and made quick work of the poor fools who had fallen for that mockery of religion. His minions disappeared, reabsorbed back into the darkness around him.

Only then did he turn to the humans, held firm by more of his magic. Were it not for her new rule, Alucard could term them suicides. Under the old rules of Arthur Hellsing, that made them food. When they gave up hope, gave up their hold on their pitiful lives, he'd accept them as sustenance and push their souls along to face the terrible judgment that awaited for making the final choice of Judas. Had she not put the restriction on him, he wouldn't give them the next choice. These fools would get another chance to change their minds, though all respect for them was lost. He turned his many eyes to them. "Well, what is your choice? Will you return with me to the pitiful new religion you embraced?" They were safe from him as long as they renounced their decision. He may not be able to partake but he could put dogs down. None of them could speak, eyes as large as owls looked back at him but every head shook back and forth as they clutched one another with frightened arms. Good, he thought, they have learned something tonight. Not that he could let them remember. "Go," he told them, moving sets of red eyes to mesmerize them, "Go to your home. Forget what you have seen and recommit yourselves to your God." He left them, his mission foremost in his mind. Moving in the direction the young vampires had set, he reached out his mind to find Walter.

The overall number of ghouls was down dramatically, Leung sent a prayer of thanks up for that. He enjoyed killing more than anything else... that he allowed himself, but even he had his limits. Dollnez might be in his element among this many ghouls, but he was not. Leung retrieved his last knife from the mass of ghoul jelly in front of him. There was an explosive in his bag, but he planned on using that only as a last resort. Right now he was chasing the fleeting glimpses of silver and white that he hoped meant the priest vamp was near. Hopefully his RPG was not. Leung's ears were still thudding; not something he wanted to go through again.

As he rounded a column, yet another ghoul intercepted him, trying to knock his legs out from under him. He jumped to avoid the hunk of wood in the thing's hands and reflected that most professional athletes would be retired by the time they neared fifty. If only he'd done better in football, he laughed, laying a kick that Best might have envied on the head of the zombie. It wasn't enough, but it gave him space to breathe. The ghoul lunged again, wood aimed this time at Leung's head. It whizzed above the man as he went low, sweeping his leg behind the lumbering creature's knees. The laws of nature being what they were, he let it fall before smashing in its face with his elbow. Though he couldn't hear, his eyes tracked his target vampire walking toward him, brown leather gloves clapping. There were no ghouls around, a minor blessing. Leung pulled his body back into a position to face the vampire. He knew not to look at its eyes, but instead focused on the grinning, moving mouth. Even without lip reading, he could guess at the bombastic, ego maniacal nonsense it would be spouting. He let his Glock answer for him, but the bullets flew off course, as if a shield stood between the vampire and himself. Damn, he thought as he reached around for his backpack. The vampire moved his fingers, uttering words left unheard as the agent's throat began to constrict. He tried to stay calm and reach the timer's trigger. The phantom fingers began to crush his windpipe; his world went dark.

Even human eyes could see that there was nothing in the shadows here. Nothing, dammit. Walter moved across the backstage, trying to sense anything out of the ordinary. Of course, it all was, wasn't it? Vampires don't use shoulder mounted weaponry, they always go for dramatic grandstanding... What was the world coming to? He found a doorway leading to a back room, but from the sounds just starting, the main action was going on back in the front of the club. As Walter crossed back to the stairs, he felt rather than saw that the shadows had changed. Bugger, he thought. Over the many years of his career, intuition was what saved his life. He couldn't measure a vampire's power or know what it could do jut to look at it, but when the hair stood up on his neck, it meant something major was near. He slowed, trying to find a good place to fight from. There would be no hiding from this creature. Red eyes looked at him and the familiarity of them surprised him to his core. It didn't matter the wrapping, they were always recognizable. A smile lit up the shadow. Walter smiled, shook his head and turned. With Hellsing's monster at his back, he walked calmly to the large black curtain leading out to the club, to the audience.

Sitting grandly in the clothes of clergy, oblivious to the surrounding disaster of the flames and falling structures, the silver haired vampire cradled Agent Patrick Leung's body like a doll. "So, you come to me, Hellsing?"

Walter smiled as he jumped from the stage front. Alucard remained hidden, though no doubt detected. "Release him."

"Or what? Will you set your dog on me?" The vampire pointed at the stage, "Who holds the leash on him? You?" There was real curiosity behind the posing. "Or the little girl we killed tonight?"

In his surprise, Walter took his eyes off his foe, searching for Alucard. If he were free...

"Relax old man," Alucard's voice echoed in the club. "She lives," he brushed his mind along hers and felt her strength as she barked orders at the hospital staff. In another city, fresh off her first helicopter ride she was explaining that they wouldn't find Reynolds in their records, that she wasn't his daughter and that they'd bloody well have to keep him alive. "Reynolds barely lives and Draper is dead." He was pleased to see that Walter's focus was back on his enemy. It was unwise to turn away from a vampire, even one as mediocre as this one.

"Release him," Walter decided not to banter with the creature. He couldn't tell if Leung would make it. When the vampire smiled instead of complying, Walter spoke over his shoulder, "Alucard, kindly rip his head off, but do save Pat if you can. We've lost enough tonight, by the sounds of it." To his surprise, Alucard chuckled.

"That is not part of my mission, Walter. I am here only to save you," he wanted to show who he served, though he felt Walter's frustration. Without his help, Walter would have to shoot or shred through the agent. He'd do as Walter wanted, but couldn't help drawing it out, "Do you know what your 'friend' would do to her? I felt his need today. It screamed to me, outshining even my own thoughts for a time."

Walter's face flushed, this was not the place for them to argue! With the enemy sitting there? Smiling as his forces were regrouping and making their way to his aid? "This is hardly- Yes. Stop it! Yes, I have an inkling, but he didn't, did he? He's controlled himself thus far. Can you save him or not?"

"Oh, do try," the silver haired vampire cooed at Alucard as the Hellsing vampire finally materialized on the stage. Leung's body twisted and began to levitate as the priestly vampire stood. Until he had an idea of the pet's power, he had no intention of giving up his protection. He called his minions to keep the deadly agent occupied while the higher creatures played. Lifting his hands, he shot darts upward, shredding Alucard's torso with their needle sharp tips. Dribbles of blood oozed onto the white shirt.

"Pathetic," Alucard spat. His fingers longed for the feel of his Casull, but it was back at Hellsing, out of commission. There were many ways to play with this fool. "Hiding behind a dying deviant? Are you out of ghouls? I've tasted your children, barely better than ghouls. Your Cherry? She died begging for her life." He jumped down and circled the vampire, noting that Walter was looking for a clear shot. The limp body could only serve as distraction for so long.

Three vampires came from behind the rubble with a few ghouls shambling after them. They looked at Walter with hatred, he answered their looks with the calm of death itself. He had hoped to use his wires to rescue Leung's body from between the posing Nosferatu, but turned to face this threat instead. Did she really think he needed saving? He scoffed at the thought as he leaped between the approaching undead, silver imbued strings in motion. His speed was below the best that a vampire was capable of, but these weren't the best of vampires and they were crowding into his killing radius. He smiled and sliced through the body of one of them, separating the vampire's head from his shoulders. He spun about to similarly dispatch the one to his left when he heard the retort of a .9mm revolver. Luckily the vampire had aimed before Walter moved, so the wound was superficial, but it served to clear his thinking. Willing himself into his role as executioner, he pulled his wires, ripping through the two remaining vampires. He stood over the bodies of the ghouls, collapsing as the animating force fled with the life of the vampires that turned them. Walter prayed over them quickly and looked back to see how things stood for Alucard. Pat's body was still elevated, but seemed forgotten to the side as their battle moved into mental attacks. It shouldn't be long now, he thought, but still gently used his cables instead of trying to move closer to the battle. Alucard looked like he was still enjoying himself. This was not a thing Walter liked to witness, the human masks falling off of the vampires and their inner monsters coming to the fore. He shivered as Leung's body slid the last few feet, forgotten in the onslaught the silver haired vampire faced from Alucard. An idea struck Walter as he watched the last of the battle and he called out as the killing blow was about to be delivered.

Alucard stopped himself, but his form quivered with rage. "Dollnez," he picked his words with care, "do not deny me this small pleasure." First he couldn't hunt, now he can't kill?

"Not at all, Alucard, but I think you'll find greater pleasure in this; let us keep him," Walter felt a grin starting.

"Angel of Death, you know me too well," Alucard's face moved from rage to joy as he looked down at the frightened creature in his arms. "Ah, you are in for a treat!" He took a drop of blood from his sleeve, "Do you know who I am?" He spread the drop across the quivering lips of his victim. Involuntarily, it licked the blood away, eyes widening at the taste, but Alucard shushed him, "Shhh, don't bother to speak. Save your strength. We'll make your final trip to Hell a blessing. Rest now." In his weakened state, there were no barriers to the mental blast Alucard used, putting the vampire to sleep. "Mission completed, limited release complete." The girl was unable to acknowledge his report as she was sleeping in a car speeding back to Hellsing, her hand in a soft cast. Alucard looked up at Walter, knowing the human shared at least some of his excitement about the day that was dawning and he knew just the way to thank him.

Walter backed up as Alucard dropped the silver haired vampire and crossed the wooden floor toward him. For a second, he was afraid he would be the recipient of an unwelcome hug, but Alucard stopped at the unconscious agent in front of Walter. He looked down at the man for a moment before kneeling down and touching him with a gloved finger. Leung stirred, coughing as he gasped for breath, his eyes fluttering open and closed. Alucard took off one glove and gripped Leung's face firmly, holding his face only an inch away. Walter trusted Alucard not to kill Pat, though he wasn't sure what recourse there would be if he did. As the vampire had said, their time to fight was many years ago. Instead of snapping the agent's neck, Alucard did something even stranger. He opened his mouth, breathing a black, shadowy breath into Leung who stiffened at the touch, eyes suddenly opened in horror. The man flailed about and Walter came closer to the duo, unsure what to do. Alucard lifted the man, not breaking contact until the flailing stopped. Then he inhaled, made a face and pushed the agent into Walter's arms.

"There," he said, "a gift for you."

Walter let his confusion show, but Alucard turned and lifted up the captured vampire. "What the bloody Hell was that? Did you just heal him?" Pat was breathing regularly, though slumped now and unconscious.

"Don't be an idiot, Walter. Have you been listening to these cultists? I don't heal, I destroy," he seemed to soften his tone after looking at Walter's face. "The shadows will hold his trachea, long enough anyway." He sniffed the air, "Get him out quickly."

"Alucard," Walter called as the vampire started to leave, "fancy a ride? The sun's rising." The vampire continued to walk, but leaned down to pick up a hat from the rubble. With his prisoner thrown over his shoulder, he walked out into the day. "Well, thank you anyway, my friend." He shifted Leung to better carry him and walked toward the rear exit.

An explosion ripped the club in half, more of the balcony structure giving way around the load bearing column where Leung's black bag had been. Good old Pat, Walter thought, covering his nose and mouth as he dodged the debris, vampire corpses adding to the dust level. He left as the roof fell in.


	16. Chapter 16

**Youth and Innocence**

Chapter 16

Standard disclaimer: All characters belong to Kohta Hirano and his publishers. I have no stake in them.

16.

"Good morning, Lady Integra," the voice surprised Integra into consciousness. It definitely wasn't Mary.

"Walter?" she mumbled as she sat up. Her eyes tried to focus and she felt him sit on the side of the bed.

"Yes, Miss," he gave her the glasses she needed. This was a bit more awkward than he thought it would be.

"Is Mary unwell?"

"No Miss, she's gone off to church today," he pulled an envelope out of his waistcoat pocket, "but gave me this for you."

"What time is... oh," nearly noon. She unfolded the rich paper. In Mary's lovely handwriting, Integra read:

My Dear Integra,

It has been my pleasure to serve you and your family for thirteen years and the last thing I want to do is hurt you. It seems to me that you have outgrown your need for a governess however, and I am tendering my resignation in an attempt to make this transition easier for you. Through contacts made yesterday, I have found another position, but they are flexible and I am willing to remain with Hellsing as you need.

Lovingly yours,

Mary S.

"I shouldn't have said..."

"I bare the blame, Miss. We've had a difference of opinion about how hard you should be working," he shrugged his shoulders as he stood by his gut feeling. The girl needed strength not pampering.

She sat in silence, knowing that Walter's eyes missed nothing. The tears she fought back might as well have been cried, but she wouldn't allow them out. When she felt that her voice wouldn't betray her, she asked, "Could you leave please, I'll... I promise to meet you in the office in a few minutes."

He stood, "If you'll forgive me Miss, the kitchen has requested that I make certain you eat this morning. They reported that you ate very little yesterday and we can't have you getting weak." He braced for a tantrum.

She sat numbly, then nodded. "Yes, I need something in my stomach for the painkillers." Integra tried a smile for Walter and received a look of respect in return. He and Alucard were all she had left, she reflected.

"Well then, I will leave you to it. Pettrus will walk you through the follow up work the director needs to do for last night's missions," he paused. "You should also be preparing for the meeting tomorrow morning with the Knights. I have readied some material on Hellsing and the Convention of Twelve members. That should help. We'll have some new intelligence on the cult case by this evening." In fact, he and Alucard were having trouble keeping the vampire from talking too soon. "Our report from last night is on your desk." He walked to her breakfast tray as she pushed back her bed sheets.

"Is there any news of Reynolds?"

"Ah, yes. He is now stable and should be moved later to the local hospital where Agent Leung is as well." He waited for the questions, but she was still caught up in her thoughts. Walter cleared his throat as he handed her a cup of tea. "Your servant suggested that you were looking for these?" He held up two large brass keys.

Her brows knitted before she understood. "My father's? You had them?" She should have thought of that. Integra didn't want to seem too excited, "Very well, put them on my dresser." Finally she would get to read her father's books! And it was Alucard who suggested it? She sipped her tea thoughtfully. "Will you ask Mary to see me when she returns?"

"Of course, Miss."

"Are my lessons in place for tomorrow?" She would be damned if she would be going back, not now. She was a Hellsing and she would damn well stay.

He flashed a smile, "As you requested." The Knights would be the ones getting taken to school tomorrow, he thought. He stayed to watch her eat a bite, managing as best she could with her cast before he slipped silently out. He went first to Integra's office, making sure that she would have all the information she needed. Then he went to see Tom.

"Ah, Walter. Is she up then?" Pettrus stood, dwarfing his little desk.

"Yes, should be down in a little bit. Look, Tom, can you keep her occupied today? I don't know how long this will take, but it would be..."

"Awkward?" Both men smiled. They had been at this for many years. A young girl shouldn't witness an interrogation, that much was understood between them. "Ja old man, I'll manage. There's more than enough work today cleaning up after you." His phone rang and he caught it on reflex, "Hellsing." His face looked suddenly pained, "Oh, no sorry, just joking, yes this is the vicar's office, um, just hold on," he put his palm over the handset. "Sorry Walter, we've no one on the switchboard so I had it routed up here."

Walter took the phone reluctantly, "Hello?"

"Tim? Father Baker?" The voice both relieved and pained him.

"Yes, Ms. McMillan, right?"

"Well, yes. Ah, Emily. I'm sorry to bother you, you must be busy today of all days, but you'd said I could call for advice right? Well I found your card by my phone this morning and it was just what I needed, you know?"

"Yes?"

"I was wondering if it might be possible, well, my church is doing some renovations, so I was thinking I might pop out and see about your church? If it's not too, you know, too forward of me," she mumbled the last bit.

"Ah, well there's that. You see, I'm leaving this post, retiring in a few days, so..." Walter moved his hand along his forehead, the gloved fingers soothing the tension somewhat. Tom's look said he'd caught the truth hidden within the lie. Walter exhaled into the silence that hung between all of them. "My dear, may I be the forward one here? You should find a nice little church near the hospital your mother is in. Visit her. Stay close to her. I don't think you need to fear a nice, normal death."

"Oh, uh..."

"There you are, for all it is worth. Now soldier on and have a lovely life, Emily," with that, Walter hung up the phone. He saw Pettrus make a note to cancel the line. They ordered new lines as needed for each alias and the phone service would wait about six months, then reassign the old number a new customer. He wondered if Hellsing's old personae still received calls now and then. He hoped not. "Better wait until we've got the moles out before you cancel that one, Tom. Best to be careful." The meeting tomorrow would determine how quickly that could be done. "I wanted to thank you for taking care of Pat and Reggie."

"Of course. I can't believe Stephan would... well, he was a wanker alright, but... but for a vampire?"

The questioning look in the large man's eyes made Walter shift his eyes away, remembering the accusations made the other night, the fight they should have had. He cleared his throat. "Integra handled herself well," Walter wanted to stay polite, "I'm glad you went to get her. Perhaps you can take her by the scene today? Get a complete report? I doubt Reynolds will be able to tell you much. Brain damage from the looks of it, right?"

"Some. You got a bit of hurting yourself, no?" He made a mock punch to Walter's broken ribs, then tried for a friendly smile. "I hear you saw Pat this morning? Nursing home said he can come home later this week?"

Walter nodded, reaching for his pack of fags before remembering. His face showed a trace of annoyance but it wasn't about Pat, he was glad it hadn't been worse. The agent thought he was dead when he came to in the car, asked if it was heaven or hell. "Yeah, hopefully so, but he'll need a fair bit of work," Walter could see a point soon when Integra would have an all new staff. Even old Tom would someday shove off... just not soon enough. "Well, I have some work to get back to," he didn't want to admit how much he longed to get back downstairs. Of course, Tom didn't need to know and Alucard already did. He hid his smile as he walked slowly out, breaking into a trot only once he was down the dungeon stairs.

It felt like there was no getting away from Mr. Pettrus. They'd made a million phone calls, visited hospitals and the two incident scenes. After identifying Draper's body at the forensic laboratory, Integra made a big show of being tired and needing her rest. Finally he relented and took her back to the mansion for dinner. Once he left the dining room, she snuck back into her own office to get to the thing that had been on her mind all day, her father's books. She crossed the floor to her grandfather's picture. With her hands shaking slightly with excitement, she pushed the frame from the wall. The small space between was plenty wide enough for her hand, but she couldn't quite see to put the key in, so she tried to push the painting just a touch farther back, resulting in a dangerous tilting. Integra pulled her arm back out and tried to decide if she could take the large portrait down with just one hand. She paced for a moment before coming to a decision. "Alucard?" She felt a right fool to be calling his name out loud when she was by herself, but she soon felt his presence.

"My Master? What do you need?" He was a bit miffed to be pulled away from his sport and his annoyance grew as he saw what she required him for.

Integra saw his look, but she also noted the blood stains on his clothing and face, "Have you forgotten your punishment?"

His lip curled up as he considered his response. Licking a smear from his cheek, he said in an icy tone, "The prohibition is against consuming, not shedding blood Master." Also he interpreted the rule to apply only to human blood. Vampire blood wasn't nourishing in any real sense, but it satisfied in its own way and he wasn't prepared to give that up.

"Oh... um, are you getting good information then?"

"We will have a report for you shortly, my Master," he smiled, his eyes hidden by his unruly hair as he half bowed to her. There was little that he hadn't already picked up from consuming the soul of the weak female vampire, but he kept that secret as he and Walter worked. Where the information was duplicated, it reaffirmed the validity and where it was contradicted, he suggested further interrogation.

"Oh," she looked back to the portrait, "will you help me move this?"

"No."

"No?" Integra was stunned, wasn't he supposed to do what she asked?

"You would do better to prepare for your meeting tomorrow," he pointed at the documents Walter had left on her desk. He was physically and spiritually bound to obey her, but his definition of obedience was broad. He was serving her just fine in the dungeons, thank you very much. He watched in amusement as she stalked past him to her desk. Without even looking at the reports in question, Integra picked up a letter opener and strode back to the painting. Keeping eye contact with her servant, she watched his face as she slashed her grandfather's face and peeled back the fabric to reveal the small family safe. He chuckled, "You're just like your father."

She cocked an eyebrow at him while she fumbling with her keys, "Is that a compliment?" Her face fell slightly as Alucard disappeared, his voice hanging in the air, "No."

Integra grumbled to herself as she worked the keys and within a few minutes she had her father's journals all laid out on the desk. As much as she wanted to start reading them right away, she considered Alucard's words.


	17. Chapter 17

**Youth and Innocence**

Chapter 17

Standard disclaimer: All characters belong to Kohta Hirano and his publishers. I have no stake in them.

Final chapter

17.

It wasn't like her to second guess a decision, but Integra was wondering if she should have given in to Mary regarding the skirt. Both Walter and Mary had greeted her this morning, making sure she got an early start considering her considerable schedule today. An argument erupted between her caretakers over what she would wear; Walter pushed for black trousers and a suit jacket. Mary wanted her back in colors and had picked out one of the pretty blue school skirts. The whole fight was ridiculous to think about now but they took it very personally. While she could see the wisdom of the more masculine ensemble, this morning she couldn't go against Mary. It was more than she could bear sometimes, all this loss. She sighed as she looked out the window at the passing countryside. Of course she could bear it, she knew that. It was just that sometimes...

Walter was silent at her side. Aside from the fuss over her clothes, he'd been exceedingly serene since last night. She'd fallen asleep reading the background information he'd provided and woke as he laid her in bed. His smile was warm and his voice soft as he told her that it was all going to be okay. She'd get to keep Hellsing once they saw how well she did, he was sure of that. Any lingering suspicion she'd held was gone. He wouldn't turn on her, he never would. The creature slumped across from them was less trustworthy, but she was grateful to him for coming as well. Alucard was wrapped in his red duster and had pulled his wide brimmed hat down over his eyes. The windows were tinted, but if he had to ride he'd said, he'd rather do it sleeping.

In truth, he was not asleep. Alucard was mulling over a discussion from the day before. It bothered him on many levels and needed careful consideration. Walter was aging. That was his choice and Alucard could respect that, even admire it. Yet he couldn't understand it. There was a clinical understanding, of course. He knew some things better than the man as he could hear vertebrate scraping or the sound of a heart straining, but the experience of it was beyond him. His friend was slowing down and needed longer rest breaks. They'd moved a sleeping bag into the dungeon cell for him. Alucard took a break as well so that their victim could regrow some skin along his back. It was as he was leaning on the wall next to Walter that the conversation began.

"I'm coming to the end of my usefulness to Hellsing," Walter had wanted to bring it up for a while. He didn't expect much of a reaction and he wasn't disappointed. Alucard gave a short grunt. It was an acknowledgment of the truth, nothing more was needed. "Will you help me, should it come to that?"

Alucard lifted an eyebrow, his red eyes full of humor, "How much 'assistance' does a killer need? You know how these things are done. Do you 'need' or 'want' my help?"

"Want," Walter frowned, "I shouldn't think you'd need much convincing. She won't want me around much after."

"Have you spoken to her?" Alucard looked away, the silence answering his question. How would Walter ask if she wanted him dead? "She's put a new restriction on me. I'm to become a kept dog, to be fed at her whim," he let a hiss escape. He could respect her for doing it, yet hated the new rule. "Punishment," he snorted. "I am always selective! My hunting does good, ridding humanity of the weak, the parasites." His hands gestured to show the world of good he did.

Walter sat up, propping himself with his arms, "Was the boy weak, Alucard? Riley's boy? His father can't even look at his son's face. You crushed it. Was his death good for us or part of your sick sense of humor?"

Alucard ignored the rhetoric. He watched the piece of trash strapped to the wall, monitoring the slow healing progress. "You will miss your nap time, old man."

It was Walter's turn to grunt. He gave Alucard a dark look, but did roll over and try to relax. He'd slept with the undead killer beside him many times and was no more or less safe now than then.

Alucard let the memory fade as he thought over the conversation. He had never known Walter to be weak. Physically? Without his wires he was still fast, close to a vampire's speed, though weakening with age. But spiritually? For him to contemplate suicide was ludicrous. Alucard snorted softly. And yet, his life was his duty. Without duty, what life could there be? He had rejected Alucard's offer, though the vampire would've treasured his blood, his soul. With Walter, he would have a companion and in time an equal. There was no use dwelling on that; the man would rather die, his last act in service to Hellsing. Alucard doubted Integra would order Walter to, but that was only due to her ignorance. If she understood all that he knew about the organization, she couldn't allow him to leave Hellsing freely. Too many other people were aware and they would make use of him against her. Her new restriction would keep Alucard from enjoying it even if he did sway to that decision, damnable timing. Willing blood from a friend? Bittersweet and darkly delicious, he imagined. Alucard's senses, though weakened by the daylight, alerted him to the end of their ride and hence, the end to his meditation.

The chauffeur slowed the limousine as they entered the mansion gates. Sir Islands had chosen his own facility for the meeting and it was certainly imposing. Integra supposed her own homestead would fit on a corner of his property. He was old money and plenty of it. Her family had money, of course, but it was only a few generations deep and their nobility came through marriage. Undoubtedly, this choice of locale was intended to send her a message and it did. Well, she had a message for them as well. Walter reached over and squeezed her hand. Alucard stirred as well and pushed the brim of his hat up so that she could see one smoldering eye. "Ready, Master?"

Integra looked out the car door as the driver moved around to open it for her, "Mm hmm." She released Walter's hand as she exited. An impeccably dressed older gentleman met them at the top of the stairs, "Good morning, Madam Hellsing. My name is Christopher, the Islands' family retainer. Hello again Walter, Mr. Alucard. Won't you all follow me."

As they were walking, Walter quietly answered the question in Integra's eyes, "Financial genius, helped Islands rebuild the family wealth. Bit of a prat really but he's good."

Christopher guided them to an internal meeting room on the third floor. They were told, in an impeccably polite manner, to wait outside the heavy oak doors until the business meeting ended and the Knights invited them in. Two guards stood at said doors and seemed to be staring at fixed points in space, but Walter and Alucard knew that they were being watched. Not so Integra and she walked up to the guards before anyone reacted. They hadn't been warned about the child. "Stand aside, let me in," she ordered. The guards seemed too shocked to move against her. She put her hands on her hips, "Well? Open the damned door. I belong in this meeting." The men looked at one another, questioning silently if this would cost them their jobs, before opening the doors for her. Walter had the manners to hide his amusement, but Alucard's grin was too large for the shadows to conceal as he stood in the doorway behind her.

"Integra? What is the meaning of this?" Sir Bolcom was on his feet as were several other men with variations of the same question on their lips. Sir Islands, in a chair near the door rose like the gracious host that he was and greeted her with a handshake and a peck on her cheek, "My dear, were you waiting long? We were just finishing up some tedious business, but I'm sure we can make time to discuss-"

"Good day Gentlemen, Sir Islands," she nodded at them all, withdrawing her hand from his, "pardon my rudeness, but while I have not been officially knighted, the queen has graciously allowed me to take up my duties and they include a seat at this table." With her chin lifted, she challenged each eye she met to contradict her.

All of the men turned to Islands with their protests. "She is too young, surely you don't mean to-" "Good God, Islands, wasn't he locked away?" "Perhaps when she is just a bit older-" "I thought we had this worked out?" "This is no place for a little girl, really-" "Walter, what is the meaning of this?"

Sir Islands, to his credit, studied Integra for a moment, ignoring the complaints. He pursed his lips and gestured to the one empty chair in the room, "Quite right, my dear, quite right, please take your seat." He gave a serious look to the man on his left, "Lord Skeffington, would you please go on with the concerns of the Office of Fair Trading? Oh, and Walter? Would you and Alucard be so kind as to wait outside? Your charge will be perfectly safe in here with us and we will call you when we move onto the problem of Hellsing." If she wanted to play with the big boys, he would let her... on his terms.

Walter opened his briefcase to hand Integra a notepad, calculator and pencil, tools she would need to survive boring presentations. It was the best he could do for her. He and the vampire stalked back out of the room, relieved to avoid what Walter thought of as the worst part of heading Hellsing. He wondered if Alucard felt tired like he did as they both sat in the hard backed chairs in the hallway. It felt like he had hardly closed his eyes when the vampire poked him in his sore side.

"It's time, old Death," Alucard hissed already on his feet as the door was opening. He hoped the vampire hadn't had to eavesdrop on the full meeting. Walter had stood in for Arthur from time to time and it was mind numbing the minutia those men dealt with.

As they entered, he heard Integra who was standing on her chair, "... don't think you can bore me back to school with roofing prices and tank research! I have arranged for private classes that should see me to tests within the year. From there I shall work with the professors at Oxford for my degree. There will be no more discussion of that. Am I clear?" He moved behind her chair with Alucard beside him, hat removed, his hair neatly behaving at neck length.

The men around the table looked taken aback, but they were not shaken by her speech so much as by the close proximity of the assassin and the vampire who appeared to be backing her up. Bolcom and others shared looks that communicated their concern. Integra attempted to get the nobles' attention back to her as she sat down, smoothing her skirt in a ladylike manner. "Now, questions?"

In the silence that followed one could hear the faint ticking of the gears in the minds of the Knights. Each one trying to find the right approach to knock her off her perch. Islands, being the most adroit, went first. "My dear Lady, we've heard of the horrible accident that took the life of a young man in your stable. What has come of the inquiry?"

She waited just a beat before answering, "As you no doubt know, we're having an autopsy performed on the horse to discover the cause of his aggressive behavior," she ignored her servant's presence, but the men around the table were not so discreet and eyes flitted to him. "We suspect," she hurried on to cut them off, "that a combination of arthritis and a potential equine virus were involved. That blood work should be back soon."

Islands seemed to be considering how far to take this, "And do you think the fault lies entirely with the creature?"

"Yes," she could answer that one honestly as he didn't specify which creature. The one in question behind her bristled slightly, but only she noticed. "Antaka was put down, as you would expect. We will have no more violent outbursts from him. The remaining horses have already been moved."

The other men weren't pacified, but she was certain that Islands understood her point. He nodded, "Moving on, the Church is most concerned about the recent damage to St Edwards. How will you answer the question of why it is taking so long to find and punish those responsible? How many more churches will they lose?"

Integra turned to Walter who was already opening his briefcase, "Agent Dollnez was able to obtain some information that should put them at ease... or perhaps not considering the extent of the problem." The men began to open the manila folders as he went around the table. A whistle was heard as some familiar names were seen.

"We won't be able to touch him," Newcastle said, his finger pointing to one name.

Bolcom smiled, his face showing a new regard for Integra as he turned to face her, "Oh, I don't know about that."

Islands took up the sly smile, "With our newest Knight on board, none of these men are untouchable."

Integra looked at Walter as he returned to her side. So that was what he'd meant, she thought when he spoke about what he'd become for Hellsing's sake. The men were looking at the three of them with smiles as understanding chased confusion from her face. This was the trade off? They would let her play if she did the counsel's dirty work? "All of them?" her voice was edged in iron. Walter and Alucard shared a look and a slow smile.

Islands looked down the list, then at the other members. All of the men nodded in unison and then rose. The meeting was over and she had passed their test. "Well done, Integra," he shook her hand and moved closer as if to give her a hug, but stopped as he felt the chilly gaze of Alucard. "Ah, well, you all have work to do, of course," he moved on to speak with another Knight.

Integra felt oddly empty as they left. She was accepted by men her father's age, yet just like with the agents, she could never be one of them. It was a lonely road she had ahead.

Patel escorted her last tutor of the day to the door. Walter took that as his cue to head to the kitchen and discuss her tea. Mary apparently had the same thought, but left with good grace and went back to her chambers. Walter watched her go. He felt neither pleasure, nor sorrow at the thought of Mary leaving the household. It simply was the case that Integra had moved on. He thought of his own coming departure as he hefted the tray and walked to her office. Knocking softly, he entered. Integra was engrossed in her reading, but this wasn't schoolwork. He recognized Arthur's handwriting. "Sir Integra, your dinner." He placed the tray on the side of the desk, acknowledged only by a flip of her hair. Unsure, Walter stood to the side, waiting for her to begin to eat.

Finally, she turned her face to him, "Walter? Did you read these?" Her voice was barely a whisper. She found that was all she had, emotion tying up the rest of it. He shook his head and she wished she could tell if that were true. "But you had the keys," she pointed at the safe, now uncovered, with her grandfather's slashed face sitting on the floor below it.

Walter took a deep breath, "Integra, he was my best friend. I... I was there with him throughout. I have no need to read them." He couldn't look at her blue eyes, so like her father's. His own voice choked up, "Your father wrote to keep his sanity. He did not expect you to read them," Walter felt like he was apologizing for the uncensored record she would find. And he was. "None of us were angels."

That is an understatement, she thought. "Not even the 'Angel of Death?'" she arched her eyebrows before turning her gaze back to her father's words.

"Especially not," he agreed. He'd never read the whole record, just parts. Over the years Arthur had even asked him to write sometimes, dictating when he was drunk but needed a thought put down. He saw them again before her father's death and resisted the temptation to alter the record or simply tear out whole sections. He would've wanted her to be eighteen before she knew... but Alucard insisted. As usual though, the bastard was off while he was left to face her questions. As the new shipment of anti-midian bullets had arrived, he was gone to start the knock down list. Walter coughed and Integra looked up at him. "I've taken the liberty to schedule a meeting in the morning with several of the senior military officers who are interested in helping Hellsing develop." With Ferguson and the others, Integra would be in good hands. They had already pointed out the need to recruit medical and support staff, something he might've overlooked. Walter was certain the mix would be good.

"Yes Walter? Very good," she seemed lost to the present as she learned about the past.

He smiled. If he could only see her eat, he would happily leave her alone here with her father. Walter stood off to the side until he was quite certain she had forgotten him. His mind wandered to the past as well and he was startled to hear her repeat herself.

"Very good," Integra spoke to the air, "come back then and I'll bring you your meal." An odd smile played on her thin lips.

Alucard, he expected. Walter wondered about that but as she reached her good hand over to the sandwich plate, he felt he was no longer needed. He had to admit that she was handling Alucard much better than he had expected. "Sir Integra?" Walter watched her surprise as she noticed him again.

"Yes?"

Fine lines became deeper around his eyes as he smiled at her, "I'm... thinking of retiring once your new staff is up and running. I think I've found suitable replacements and once the transition is complete..."

Integra's emotions ran so quickly that it was hard for her to know what they would settle on. She felt a sharp pain as she thought of life without either Mary or Walter. Shock, sadness, anger and even grief all registered dimly, but a sudden keen sense of humor came and settled. "Yes, that sounds good, very good," she watched his unreadable face harden, before she added, "if you're interested, I have a new opening on my personal staff."

"Ah, what are you looking for? I'll make some calls," his affairs were in order and he thought he'd seen to hers. Once Ferguson was there to look after her, he would leave, with or without Alucard's help. Of course the seals prevented the vampire from harming a Hellsing employee, but there were loopholes, for example if the person requested actions that resulted in their own harm or if they were in danger of becoming a ghoul. Alucard could think his way into or out of most situations involving the seals. Walter watched Integra search through her papers for something.

"Here it is. Position: Hellsing family retainer. Applicant must have over forty years of experience putting up with Hellsing family members." Her smile was radiant as she got the reaction she'd wanted from him. "If there's one thing I've learned Walter, it's that my father couldn't have managed without you."

They stood, separated by a desk and the expanse of her office floor, yet he'd never felt closer to her. "My Lady," he bowed his head, one arm crossed over his chest.

The kitchen was dark, but Integra found the note from the head chef taped up to the industrial refrigerator. No doubt he thought she was daft, but he'd done as she asked. She took two wine bottles out and headed down the now familiar path. She hesitated just outside his door, but knew that it was too late to turn back, he was aware of her. As if to prove the point, his door flew open. There was a tall chair, like the ones in the library, as the sole nod to comfort. Not her comfort, mind. He was resting in the chair, tracking her with half lidded eyes. "Come," he purred.

She approached him smiling. "Report."

"All targets silenced. There were no complications," he leaned forward, not disguising his interest in the bottles she carried.

"And the bodies?" She put her hands behind her back, shaking the bottles slightly to increase the sound of their contents.

He reclined, crossing one leg with the ankle of the other. She was obviously enjoying his hunger too much. "Would you like to hear how they looked? Their shock at being exposed? How easily the bullets ripped through their flesh?" He smiled as the look of amusement dropped from her face, then he went on, "No? The bodies were deposited as directed with the MI forces," he frowned, guessing what her next question would be. He waited.

"And you did not consume any of their blood?"

Alucard hissed lowly, "No, I could not." Children should not have dominion over vampires, he grumbled to himself.

"Good. I have some for you," she brought the wine bottles out, but still held them a few feet away from him. "Pettrus is setting up a regular supply of donated blood, but this can do for you until then."

It took all of his control not to invade her mind and explore what she was holding back. He stood, approaching her slowly, his eyes on the bottles.

"How long has it been, Servant, since you have had human blood?"

His brain kept track of many trivialities, like how many minutes until dawn? Forty nine. How long since he had eaten? Five days three hours and fifteen minutes. "A few days, my Master."

"A few days? How long exactly, if you please. Give me the exact number," she stood her ground as he circled her.

"Ah, you've read your father's writings," he smiled at her.

She looked away, unsure how to answer. "Some," her cheeks burned.

"Good," he moved back to his chair, still empty handed.

"Why? Why did you want me to know?" she tried to keep her mood as calm as she could, but her voice was getting high and tight.

He took his time settling into his chair, fiddling with a pair of glasses he'd picked up in his travels tonight, "It's important to our... relationship that you understand." He looked her in the eyes, the briefest hesitation in her blue eyes as she struggled to match his gaze, "Understand the monster you command."

"My father..." she lost the staring contest and examined her shoes instead. They were lovely shoes, but she didn't really see them.

"Was a flawed man, yes." He had some compassion for her situation, not much but some. He had been a father, in life and in death, and had never been anything but flawed. Loved, to be certain, but heavily flawed. She'd lost the man and now she had to lose the myth as well. With everything stripped from her she would find her core, her strength. A smile crawled across his face despite her pain. "Whose blood is it?" he sniffed, but the bottles were sealed. He flexed his mind and found Walter alive and working as usual. Another agent, perhaps?

"You'll recognize him," she said with a grim smile. Integra walked close to his chair and handed him both bottles. "Forgive my rudeness if I don't stay to watch."

He was used to the queasiness reflected when he consumed human blood, from any source, in front of people, "Not at all, my Master." He stood, moving toward his coffin as the clock in his body warned him of dawn, now only forty five minutes away. "Perhaps you can keep control of your hands today, so that I may sleep?" His eyes taunted her as she left hastily. Once she was gone, he procured a glass. Swirled a small amount out of a bottle, he thought the scent odd, but it had been in an unclean container. As the red liquid hit his tongue he roared out, spewing the drink across his perfect casket.

He pulled back his arm and threw the bottle full force toward the still open door. The second one followed the first, glass and blood showering the hallway with a sound like a gunshots. He glowered as he heard her footsteps hurrying along the upper stairs. Horse blood seeped slowly into the stones.

A/N:

Thanks to all who've helped me along the way! I've got the world's greatest reviewers! I'm open to all feedback, tips, and criticism either as reviews or private messages. I've condensed some chapters, so that may play havoc with existing reviews of those chapters... if so I'm sorry, but I felt it would read smoother if some of them were combined.


End file.
